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.

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A square as the heart of the city

Many owners, one palace

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Discovering the mother church

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

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

A city in colour

A half-Baroque church

Between white and black

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The wall comes to life

The colours of the cathedral

Norman apses

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The Staircase of Angels

A long reconstruction

A museum to save a tradition

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A new site for a new church

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Prominent façade

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The Maiolica of the staircase

The theatre of taste

The chocolate of Modica

The Baroque town by the sea

A triumph of colour

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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

A miniature city

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Some masterpieces

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

The church of Carmine

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

One city, two sites

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A small room with a golden entrance

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

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Wonderful quick decorations

One city, three sites

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

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

New roads for Catania

A colourful floor

Feast days

The city of museums

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Some prestigious works

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A feast only for Scicli

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A hall for the feasts

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A new site for a new city

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

Feasting in Palazzolo

An eagle-shaped city

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Two illustrious patron saints

The interior and its masterpieces

A symbol for the town

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The two churches

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The façade used as a puppet theatre

From International Gothic to present day

A majestic and luminous church

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

The Burgos crucifix

A prominent church

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

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

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

The disastrous earthquake

A talking palace

The internal colours

Searching for colour