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.

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The internal colours

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

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

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The wall comes to life

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

A half-Baroque church

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A prominent church

A new site for a new church

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The church of Carmine

Feast days

Feasting in Palazzolo

A miniature city

Many owners, one palace

Connections with other UNESCO sites

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The theatre of taste

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The interior and its masterpieces

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Prominent façade

A triumph of colour

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The chocolate of Modica

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The Burgos crucifix

Two illustrious patron saints

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Between white and black

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Searching for colour

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

A city in colour

A new site for a new city

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The Staircase of Angels

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

The disastrous earthquake

The Maiolica of the staircase

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Some prestigious works

A majestic and luminous church

The façade used as a puppet theatre

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

From International Gothic to present day

The city of museums

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Norman apses

A museum to save a tradition

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

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

The colours of the cathedral

A symbol for the town

A hall for the feasts

The two churches

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Discovering the mother church

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

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

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

A feast only for Scicli

A long reconstruction

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

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A talking palace

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

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

The Baroque town by the sea

New roads for Catania

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

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

Some masterpieces

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A square as the heart of the city

Wonderful quick decorations

One city, three sites

One city, two sites

A small room with a golden entrance

A colourful floor

The character of Badia Sant’Agata