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 Staircase of Angels

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Some masterpieces

The wall comes to life

A feast only for Scicli

A symbol for the town

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

The Maiolica of the staircase

Prominent façade

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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

The church of Carmine

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

From International Gothic to present day

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

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A half-Baroque church

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

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

Discovering the mother church

A long reconstruction

The internal colours

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

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

One city, three sites

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Searching for colour

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

A hall for the feasts

A city in colour

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Norman apses

One city, two sites

Feast days

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

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

A museum to save a tradition

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The two churches

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A small room with a golden entrance

Wonderful quick decorations

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Many owners, one palace

The interior and its masterpieces

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The Baroque town by the sea

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A prominent church

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The Burgos crucifix

Feasting in Palazzolo

A triumph of colour

The theatre of taste

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

A square as the heart of the city

The city of museums

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A majestic and luminous church

The chocolate of Modica

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

A miniature city

Between white and black

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The disastrous earthquake

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The colours of the cathedral

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A colourful floor

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Some prestigious works

A new site for a new city

Two illustrious patron saints

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

New roads for Catania

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

A talking palace

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A new site for a new church