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 disastrous earthquake

The Maiolica of the staircase

Some prestigious works

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The colours of the cathedral

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A new site for a new city

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

A square as the heart of the city

The Burgos crucifix

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Norman apses

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

From International Gothic to present day

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A prominent church

A hall for the feasts

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The two churches

The city of museums

Two illustrious patron saints

Between white and black

A new site for a new church

The interior and its masterpieces

Some masterpieces

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

One city, two sites

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

Feast days

The theatre of taste

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

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

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

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

New roads for Catania

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A museum to save a tradition

A symbol for the town

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The wall comes to life

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A small room with a golden entrance

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

An eagle-shaped city

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A triumph of colour

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A long reconstruction

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

A talking palace

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The chocolate of Modica

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A majestic and luminous church

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

Searching for colour

The Baroque town by the sea

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The Staircase of Angels

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A miniature city

A feast only for Scicli

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Prominent façade

A city in colour

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A half-Baroque church

A colourful floor

The internal colours

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

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

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

The church of Carmine

Wonderful quick decorations

One city, three sites

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Many owners, one palace

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

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

Feasting in Palazzolo

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Discovering the mother church