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.

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

The city of museums

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

The Burgos crucifix

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Some prestigious works

A majestic and luminous church

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The façade used as a puppet theatre

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

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The church of Carmine

One city, two sites

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The wall comes to life

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

A Nobel Prize in Modica

From International Gothic to present day

The disastrous earthquake

A triumph of colour

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Many owners, one palace

A feast only for Scicli

A prominent church

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A hall for the feasts

The internal colours

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

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

A long reconstruction

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The interior and its masterpieces

The theatre of taste

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A small room with a golden entrance

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The Maiolica of the staircase

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

New roads for Catania

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

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

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

Feast days

Feasting in Palazzolo

The colours of the cathedral

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A museum to save a tradition

A square as the heart of the city

Norman apses

One city, three sites

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Some masterpieces

Wonderful quick decorations

A half-Baroque church

A colourful floor

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

An eagle-shaped city

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Discovering the mother church

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

The Baroque town by the sea

The chocolate of Modica

Two illustrious patron saints

A city in colour

Prominent façade

The Staircase of Angels

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A talking palace

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

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A new site for a new city

A miniature city

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Searching for colour

A symbol for the town

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Between white and black

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A new site for a new church

The two churches