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.

Between white and black

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

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

The wall comes to life

A triumph of colour

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A half-Baroque church

The colours of the cathedral

The Staircase of Angels

The Baroque town by the sea

A new site for a new church

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

A small room with a golden entrance

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

From International Gothic to present day

A new site for a new city

A majestic and luminous church

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

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Discovering the mother church

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The church of Carmine

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A square as the heart of the city

Many owners, one palace

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A colourful floor

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Feasting in Palazzolo

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

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Some masterpieces

The disastrous earthquake

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

Prominent façade

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A long reconstruction

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

One city, three sites

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

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The Maiolica of the staircase

One city, two sites

A prominent church

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Wonderful quick decorations

A feast only for Scicli

A symbol for the town

A talking palace

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

The two churches

A miniature city

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A hall for the feasts

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

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

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

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The theatre of taste

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The city of museums

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

Some prestigious works

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Feast days

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Searching for colour

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Norman apses

A museum to save a tradition

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The internal colours

Two illustrious patron saints

The Burgos crucifix

A city in colour

New roads for Catania

The chocolate of Modica

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The interior and its masterpieces

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