Noto

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The harmonious architecture and homogeneity of Noto stone create such a scenic balance that the city looks as though it were built in one night.
Noto was actually built over half a century by various architects and craftspeople. Noto omogeneita e l'armonia archtettureThe work of the architect Angelo Italia was fundamental: he organised the city space and created splendid scenographic effects, transforming squares and streets into stages.
No less important was Rosario Gagliardi .
His constant presence in Noto allowed him to closely monitor all of his construction sites and to teach and prepare new, young architects. Upon his death, his works were completed by one of his students, Vincenzo Sinatra , who never forgot the expert’s teachings.
None of this could have been achieved without good basic organisation.
Thanks to Baron Giuseppe Asmundo, the land for constructing the new buildings was allocated fairly and the height of the buildings was also clearly defined. In this way, the buildings were all the same, creating a harmonious and homogeneous landscape.
The choice of white limestone , was also important.This local stone, when lit up by the sun, takes on a golden yellow colour reminiscent of honey.Its appearance has remained unchanged over the centuries; minimal interventions were made and you can still admire it in all its beauty and grace today.The effect is a landscape wrapped in an ethereal light.

One city, three sites

A square as the heart of the city

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

From the contrast of the exterior to the internal jubilation of colours

Feasting in Palazzolo

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The senses tell the story of the staircase of Santa Maria del Monte

The Maiolica of the staircase

The theatre of taste

A city in colour

Some masterpieces

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A museum to save a tradition

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A prominent church

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The role of the religious orders in rebuilding the Val di Noto

Some prestigious works

The disastrous earthquake

The Burgos crucifix

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Discovering the mother church

One city, two sites

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Church of San Giuliano (St. Julian) on Via dei Crociferi: reconstruction

The interior and its masterpieces

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A symbol for the town

A long reconstruction

Feast days

New roads for Catania

The two churches

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Prominent façade

The church of Carmine

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A triumph of colour

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Searching for colour

Two illustrious patron saints

The colours of the cathedral

The Staircase of Angels

From International Gothic to present day

A miniature city

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

A feast only for Scicli

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A talking palace

Between white and black

The senses tell the Mother Church of San Nicolò and of the Santissimo Salvatore

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Giuliano ai Crociferi

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Wonderful quick decorations

A majestic and luminous church

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Freedom of worship and the role of the Catholic Church in the diffusion of Baroque

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The Baroque town by the sea

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A new site for a new city

The senses tell the story of the Badia di Sant’Agata

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A new site for a new church

The wall comes to life

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A half-Baroque church

The senses tell the story of the church of Santa Maria del Carmelo

A small room with a golden entrance

A colourful floor

The city of museums

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The senses tell the Benedictine Monastery and San NicoIò l’Arena

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Norman apses

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giovanni Battista

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The internal colours

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The chocolate of Modica

Many owners, one palace

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A hall for the feasts

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento