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 internal colours

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A miniature city

A feast only for Scicli

The theatre of taste

The wall comes to life

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

Norman apses

The city of museums

A talking palace

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A colourful floor

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

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

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

A small room with a golden entrance

The interior and its masterpieces

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

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A half-Baroque church

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

Searching for colour

Many owners, one palace

Feast days

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The Maiolica of the staircase

Two illustrious patron saints

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

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

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

From International Gothic to present day

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Some prestigious works

Discovering the mother church

New roads for Catania

One city, three sites

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A long reconstruction

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The Burgos crucifix

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The chocolate of Modica

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A museum to save a tradition

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Prominent façade

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A symbol for the town

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A square as the heart of the city

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

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A new site for a new city

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A city in colour

A hall for the feasts

A triumph of colour

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Between white and black

A new site for a new church

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

A prominent church

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Feasting in Palazzolo

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

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The colours of the cathedral

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

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Some masterpieces

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Wonderful quick decorations

A majestic and luminous church

The disastrous earthquake

One city, two sites

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

An eagle-shaped city

The Baroque town by the sea

The two churches

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The Staircase of Angels

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The church of Carmine