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.

A new site for a new church

A symbol for the town

Some masterpieces

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

An eagle-shaped city

The Baroque town by the sea

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Wonderful quick decorations

Discovering the mother church

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

A long reconstruction

Norman apses

A majestic and luminous church

A feast only for Scicli

The chocolate of Modica

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Feasting in Palazzolo

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Two illustrious patron saints

A hall for the feasts

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A square as the heart of the city

The theatre of taste

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The church of Carmine

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Between white and black

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The Staircase of Angels

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The two churches

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

A new site for a new city

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Connections with other UNESCO sites

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

A prominent church

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

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

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Feast days

The Maiolica of the staircase

The disastrous earthquake

New roads for Catania

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

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

A half-Baroque church

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A Nobel Prize in Modica

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

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

The colours of the cathedral

One city, two sites

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

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

Prominent façade

From International Gothic to present day

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

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

A triumph of colour

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The city of museums

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A talking palace

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The wall comes to life

One city, three sites

Some prestigious works

The Burgos crucifix

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

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

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

A city in colour

Many owners, one palace

A colourful floor

A miniature city

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Searching for colour

The internal colours

A museum to save a tradition

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

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

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

A small room with a golden entrance

The interior and its masterpieces

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

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century