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

One city, three sites

The Staircase of Angels

The theatre of taste

A square as the heart of the city

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A half-Baroque church

Many owners, one palace

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

An eagle-shaped city

The chocolate of Modica

The disastrous earthquake

A museum to save a tradition

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

Norman apses

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

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

A talking palace

Some masterpieces

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A new site for a new city

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Some prestigious works

Searching for colour

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The interior and its masterpieces

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

Prominent façade

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A hall for the feasts

The wall comes to life

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

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

A triumph of colour

The church of Carmine

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

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

From International Gothic to present day

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The two churches

Feast days

A miniature city

New roads for Catania

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Discovering the mother church

Wonderful quick decorations

Two illustrious patron saints

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

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

The colours of the cathedral

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A symbol for the town

A city in colour

The Baroque town by the sea

The city of museums

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A long reconstruction

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A colourful floor

A small room with a golden entrance

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The internal colours

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

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

A majestic and luminous church

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

A new site for a new church

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

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The Burgos crucifix

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

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A feast only for Scicli

The Maiolica of the staircase

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

One city, two sites

A prominent church

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers