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 entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The Staircase of Angels

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The chocolate of Modica

One city, two sites

Many owners, one palace

A long reconstruction

The Baroque town by the sea

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

The city of museums

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The internal colours

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A miniature city

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The Maiolica of the staircase

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A city in colour

Discovering the mother church

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A museum to save a tradition

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

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Feast days

A hall for the feasts

Some masterpieces

Norman apses

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The Burgos crucifix

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Some prestigious works

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

New roads for Catania

Two illustrious patron saints

A new site for a new city

A feast only for Scicli

A colourful floor

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

From International Gothic to present day

Wonderful quick decorations

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

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A symbol for the town

An eagle-shaped city

Prominent façade

Connections with other UNESCO sites

St. Sebastian, so much work!

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The disastrous earthquake

The church of Carmine

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

The two churches

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A triumph of colour

A talking palace

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A majestic and luminous church

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

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

One city, three sites

The theatre of taste

Between white and black

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

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

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A prominent church

The colours of the cathedral

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

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A square as the heart of the city

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

The interior and its masterpieces

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A new site for a new church

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A half-Baroque church

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

A small room with a golden entrance

The wall comes to life

Searching for colour

The façade used as a puppet theatre