After the tragic earthquake, the Val di Noto rose from its ashes like a phoenix to be reborn stronger and more beautiful than before.
The commitment of the religious orders to educate a modern generation of artists in the cultural and artistic knowledge of Baroque Rome was crucial in overcoming ancient conceptions and initiating a momentous transformation.
Studies undertaken by young clerics in the rich Roman libraries, the interest in Rome, and observation of the typical architecture of the Counter-Reformation gave rise to a synthesis of figurative elements which set Sicilian Baroque in motion.
In Sicily, Roman artistic influences replaced Spanish cultural dependence. By the hand of specialised workers, the new spirit of the era was inaugurated, not only in religious architecture but also in civic buildings, too. Sicilian Baroque combined the technical knowledge of local culture with the great dynamics of Roman Baroque.
