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

A square as the heart of the city

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Searching for colour

From International Gothic to present day

One city, three sites

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

The theatre of taste

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

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

Prominent façade

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

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

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The colours of the cathedral

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Norman apses

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Feasting in Palazzolo

A feast only for Scicli

Some masterpieces

The wall comes to life

Discovering the mother church

The Maiolica of the staircase

The Baroque town by the sea

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

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

The Staircase of Angels

A hall for the feasts

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A triumph of colour

The two churches

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A talking palace

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A museum to save a tradition

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The church of Carmine

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The interior and its masterpieces

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

An eagle-shaped city

Two illustrious patron saints

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

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

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Some prestigious works

The disastrous earthquake

The Burgos crucifix

Limestone, the colour of harmony

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

Feast days

One city, two sites

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

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

A small room with a golden entrance

A prominent church

A symbol for the town

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The city of museums

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A half-Baroque church

The chocolate of Modica

Between white and black

A majestic and luminous church

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

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A miniature city

A city in colour

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A long reconstruction

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

New roads for Catania

A new site for a new church

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Many owners, one palace

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

A colourful floor

A new site for a new city

Wonderful quick decorations

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe