Caltagirone

The Maiolica of the staircase

foto dal basso verso alto scalinata
In 1956, the staircase was enriched and embellished with a colourful maiolica covering. The idea was to celebrate the thousand-year-old tradition of Sicilian maiolica makers. For this reason, Professor Antonino Ragona, head of the project, chose to reproduce maiolica designs from the 10th-20th century.
The steps were covered from top to bottom. The maiolica tiles were inserted in chronological order, from the earliest century to present day. The first two steps commemorate Antonio Ragona and those who created the decorations (Gesualdo Aqueci, Francesco Ludice and Nicola Porcelli). The other 140 steps are divided into ten sections, one for each century starting from the 10th century. So as you climb the stairs, you are retracing the history of Caltagirone pottery from the antiquity until today.
foto Particolare targa primi due gradini foto Particolare targa primi due gradini
The maiolica tiles are a triumph of yellow, turquoise and green. One after another, geometrical decorations, human and floral figures alternate and portray the characteristic maiolica styles of Arabic, Norman, Suevian, Angevin-Aragonese, Chiaramontano, Spanish, Renaissance, Baroque, 18th century, 19th century and contemporary production.
foto Dettagli maioliche diverse

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

A square as the heart of the city

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

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

The two churches

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The disastrous earthquake

From International Gothic to present day

Discovering the mother church

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

A triumph of colour

The wall comes to life

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

The church of Carmine

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A talking palace

The Baroque town by the sea

One city, three sites

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The Staircase of Angels

Some masterpieces

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

A majestic and luminous church

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Searching for colour

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Norman apses

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

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

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The Burgos crucifix

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

Some prestigious works

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A new site for a new church

The chocolate of Modica

A feast only for Scicli

Wonderful quick decorations

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A new site for a new city

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

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

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Feast days

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

The colours of the cathedral

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A prominent church

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The interior and its masterpieces

A colourful floor

One city, two sites

A half-Baroque church

The city of museums

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

A symbol for the town

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

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

Two illustrious patron saints

Many owners, one palace

The Maiolica of the staircase

The theatre of taste

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A long reconstruction

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A miniature city

A hall for the feasts

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The internal colours

A city in colour

A museum to save a tradition

St. Sebastian, so much work!

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

Between white and black

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Prominent façade

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

New roads for Catania

A small room with a golden entrance

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours