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 senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

An eagle-shaped city

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A new site for a new city

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Feasting in Palazzolo

Wonderful quick decorations

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The façade used as a puppet theatre

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

Connections with other UNESCO sites

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Discovering the mother church

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A majestic and luminous church

The theatre of taste

New roads for Catania

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

A small room with a golden entrance

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

One city, two sites

A museum to save a tradition

A triumph of colour

The internal colours

A square as the heart of the city

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The two churches

A miniature city

A feast only for Scicli

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

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

The chocolate of Modica

The interior and its masterpieces

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Norman apses

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Some prestigious works

A colourful floor

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A city in colour

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A talking palace

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Some masterpieces

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

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

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The church of Carmine

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The colours of the cathedral

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

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

The Staircase of Angels

The disastrous earthquake

The wall comes to life

Between white and black

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

Two illustrious patron saints

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A hall for the feasts

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A half-Baroque church

A long reconstruction

The Burgos crucifix

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

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

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Prominent façade

The Maiolica of the staircase

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Feast days

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A new site for a new church

One city, three sites

The city of museums

A symbol for the town

Many owners, one palace

From International Gothic to present day

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

A prominent church

The Baroque town by the sea

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

Searching for colour

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo