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.

The Maiolica of the staircase

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Searching for colour

Norman apses

A symbol for the town

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The disastrous earthquake

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

The Staircase of Angels

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

One city, three sites

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

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

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

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

A hall for the feasts

A majestic and luminous church

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The theatre of taste

Between white and black

The colours of the cathedral

A square as the heart of the city

The wall comes to life

Some prestigious works

Prominent façade

New roads for Catania

A long reconstruction

A small room with a golden entrance

A city in colour

The church of Carmine

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

A half-Baroque church

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A feast only for Scicli

Feasting in Palazzolo

A museum to save a tradition

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The Baroque town by the sea

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

An eagle-shaped city

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The chocolate of Modica

The city of museums

Many owners, one palace

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The two churches

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A talking palace

A new site for a new church

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A miniature city

Connections with other UNESCO sites

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

From International Gothic to present day

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

Two illustrious patron saints

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A new site for a new city

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A colourful floor

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Discovering the mother church

The Burgos crucifix

Feast days

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

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

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The interior and its masterpieces

One city, two sites

Some masterpieces

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Modica, a city with ancient origins

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A triumph of colour

The internal colours

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A prominent church

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

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

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Wonderful quick decorations

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

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