Ragusa

One city, two sites

The town of Ragusa Ibla is built across three different hilly areas separated by a deep valley.
The town is the union of Ibla and Ragusa: Ibla was founded by the Sicels, before the birth of Christ. Ragusa, on the other hand, has much less ancient origins and is linked to the tragic earthquake.foto città nel complesso Following the earthquake, when deciding where to rebuild the town, no agreement could be reached.
The population was divided into two factions: the sangiorgiari suggested the old site; the sangiovannari sought to rebuild it elsewhere.
The former were aristocrats of very old lineage who lived in the parish of San Giorgio (St. George); the Sangiovannari, on the other hand, who lived outside the walls in the district of San Giovanni (St. John), were made up of the poor and the nouveau riche. Neither side wanted to give in, so two independent towns were built. foto IblaIbla was rebuilt on a lower hill than Ragusa and the old road layout was maintained.
Ragusa was planned perfectly with a system of roads that crossed at right angles.
Though rebuilt independently and autonomously from one another, Ragusa and Ibla share the style of Baroque art.
Over time the clear division was lost and the inhabitants began to live in the intermediate space, but it was not until 1926 that Ibla and Ragusa were reunited.foto ragusa

One city, three sites

A square as the heart of the city

A long reconstruction

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A museum to save a tradition

Some masterpieces

A prominent church

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A symbol for the town

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

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The Staircase of Angels

Some prestigious works

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The two churches

A triumph of colour

Feast days

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

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A new site for a new city

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Searching for colour

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Wonderful quick decorations

A talking palace

Many owners, one palace

From International Gothic to present day

A new site for a new church

The chocolate of Modica

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

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The Burgos crucifix

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

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

The Maiolica of the staircase

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

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

A feast only for Scicli

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

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

One city, two sites

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The colours of the cathedral

A small room with a golden entrance

The internal colours

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

New roads for Catania

Between white and black

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

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

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The Baroque town by the sea

Prominent façade

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A hall for the feasts

The city of museums

The wall comes to life

A city in colour

A majestic and luminous church

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The interior and its masterpieces

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Feasting in Palazzolo

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The disastrous earthquake

An eagle-shaped city

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

A half-Baroque church

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

A colourful floor

A miniature city

The theatre of taste

Two illustrious patron saints

Norman apses

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The church of Carmine

Discovering the mother church

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara