Ragusa

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

sight
A valley for Palazzo La Rocca

The green valley overlooked by Palazzo La Rocca is a riot of colours that vary with the changing seasons.
From the strong bright colours of spring, it moves on to shades of yellow and ochre in summer due to the lack of rain. As it reaches the end of summer, the colours are reborn with autumn fruits, such as pomegranate and quince.
Finally, winter arrives, which by nature makes everything darker, grey and less luxuriant.

hearing
The noises of a bygone era

The corbels of Palazzo La Rocca are a memory from a bygone era, especially the balcony with the flute and tenor mandola players, which brings to mind the sweet melodies played at the great parties held at the Palazzo, one of the most important events for the aristocracy. Delicate sounds accompanied the balls and dances in the great hall!

smell
The smell of the stone

The entrance to Palazzo La Rocca is extremely evocative.
With a little imagination you can picture Don Saverio La Rocca climbing the pietra pece staircase at the entrance.
What makes the atrium unique, however, is the strong smell of petroleum that envelops the entire space. It’s hard to believe, but the stone’s composition gives the room a sharp scent that verges on unpleasant, though it is fascinating to think that nature was able to create such a strong-smelling stone.

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

A majestic and luminous church

A new site for a new church

A museum to save a tradition

A half-Baroque church

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

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A hall for the feasts

Some prestigious works

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

A talking palace

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The colours of the cathedral

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A symbol for the town

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The Staircase of Angels

The Baroque town by the sea

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

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

Feasting in Palazzolo

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Searching for colour

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A small room with a golden entrance

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

One city, three sites

A city in colour

A colourful floor

The chocolate of Modica

Between white and black

The Burgos crucifix

The wall comes to life

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A square as the heart of the city

Many owners, one palace

Feast days

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Prominent façade

A long reconstruction

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The disastrous earthquake

Some masterpieces

The interior and its masterpieces

The internal colours

An eagle-shaped city

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The two churches

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

New roads for Catania

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

A new site for a new city

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Wonderful quick decorations

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

From International Gothic to present day

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

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

A prominent church

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

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

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A feast only for Scicli

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Modica, a city with ancient origins

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Two illustrious patron saints

A triumph of colour

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The Maiolica of the staircase

A miniature city

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

The church of Carmine

Discovering the mother church

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The city of museums

The theatre of taste

Norman apses

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

St. Sebastian, so much work!

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

One city, two sites