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

A feast only for Scicli

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Some masterpieces

The Baroque town by the sea

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

A talking palace

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

One city, three sites

A hall for the feasts

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A museum to save a tradition

Feast days

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The church of Carmine

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Norman apses

The colours of the cathedral

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

From International Gothic to present day

A city in colour

A prominent church

The two churches

A new site for a new church

A small room with a golden entrance

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

The disastrous earthquake

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

The interior and its masterpieces

Prominent façade

The wall comes to life

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A long reconstruction

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Wonderful quick decorations

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

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

The Burgos crucifix

A new site for a new city

The chocolate of Modica

New roads for Catania

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

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The internal colours

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Discovering the mother church

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Many owners, one palace

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

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

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A colourful floor

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The Maiolica of the staircase

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Two illustrious patron saints

A square as the heart of the city

A triumph of colour

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

The city of museums

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A miniature city

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The theatre of taste

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Some prestigious works

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Staircase of Angels

Limestone, the colour of harmony

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

An eagle-shaped city

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

Between white and black

Searching for colour

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

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

A half-Baroque church

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

A symbol for the town

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

One city, two sites

A majestic and luminous church