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.

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The theatre of taste

Norman apses

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

One city, three sites

A feast only for Scicli

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A majestic and luminous church

A new site for a new city

One city, two sites

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A museum to save a tradition

A city in colour

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

A colourful floor

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

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

The colours of the cathedral

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

St. Sebastian, so much work!

From International Gothic to present day

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The interior and its masterpieces

A symbol for the town

The disastrous earthquake

The Burgos crucifix

A prominent church

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A talking palace

Discovering the mother church

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The chocolate of Modica

The city of museums

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

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

A new site for a new church

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Baroque town by the sea

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

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Searching for colour

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

The internal colours

A long reconstruction

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

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Limestone, the colour of harmony

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

Feast days

The two churches

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Many owners, one palace

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A small room with a golden entrance

Some masterpieces

Wonderful quick decorations

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

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

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A miniature city

The church of Carmine

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

New roads for Catania

The wall comes to life

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Some prestigious works

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A triumph of colour

Between white and black

A half-Baroque church

Feasting in Palazzolo

Prominent façade

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A square as the heart of the city

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A hall for the feasts

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

Two illustrious patron saints

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The Maiolica of the staircase

The Staircase of Angels

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Connections with other UNESCO sites