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

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The Baroque town by the sea

Between white and black

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

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The Burgos crucifix

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A hall for the feasts

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A city in colour

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The Maiolica of the staircase

A symbol for the town

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Feast days

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A small room with a golden entrance

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The Staircase of Angels

A majestic and luminous church

The chocolate of Modica

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A Nobel Prize in Modica

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 Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The two churches

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

One city, two sites

Many owners, one palace

A long reconstruction

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The internal colours

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The disastrous earthquake

The church of Carmine

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The theatre of taste

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The wall comes to life

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

An eagle-shaped city

A prominent church

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A square as the heart of the city

Two illustrious patron saints

The city of museums

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Prominent façade

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

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

A new site for a new church

The interior and its masterpieces

New roads for Catania

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Searching for colour

From International Gothic to present day

Wonderful quick decorations

Some masterpieces

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A half-Baroque church

A feast only for Scicli

One city, three sites

A miniature city

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

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Discovering the mother church

A talking palace

Norman apses

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A triumph of colour

A colourful floor

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

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Feasting in Palazzolo

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A museum to save a tradition

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

The colours of the cathedral

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

Some prestigious works

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A new site for a new city