Ragusa

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

taste
A freshwater spring

Not far from the church of San Giuseppe (St. Joseph) is Porta Walter. It was built in medieval times and allowed people to leave the city and visit the lush green valley of Santa Domenica.
From here they would reach a spring where inhabitants rushed to quench their thirst and collect as much water as possible, especially on long, sweltering summer days!

sight
A question of perspective!

Depending on the time of day, the levels of the façade and its various elements create a unique and fascinating combination of light effects.
The plays of light and shadow change from hour to hour.
The endless chiaroscuro effects uncover and hide new details each time.

touch
Such rich materials!

The church brings out the diversity of the materials and the infinite possibilities for their use. As a matter of fact, the glass used in the large windows of the vault was also used to decorate the altars with a process that imitates marble.
Used for the worshippers’ seating, wood also proves to be an excellent material for beautiful wooden sculptures such as the Madonna near the altar.
madonna in legno altare

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The city of museums

The theatre of taste

The Maiolica of the staircase

A talking palace

Feasting in Palazzolo

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Feast days

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

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The Baroque town by the sea

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The Staircase of Angels

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

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

A new site for a new church

A hall for the feasts

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

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

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

The Burgos crucifix

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

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

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

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A small room with a golden entrance

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The interior and its masterpieces

A long reconstruction

Connections with other UNESCO sites

From International Gothic to present day

A new site for a new city

The façade used as a puppet theatre

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

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A square as the heart of the city

Norman apses

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

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

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

A symbol for the town

The church of Carmine

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The two churches

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

A feast only for Scicli

One city, two sites

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Prominent façade

The wall comes to life

A city in colour

The chocolate of Modica

A triumph of colour

Discovering the mother church

The internal colours

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A museum to save a tradition

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

New roads for Catania

A colourful floor

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

One city, three sites

Some masterpieces

Some prestigious works

Two illustrious patron saints

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Modica, a city with ancient origins

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

The colours of the cathedral

A majestic and luminous church

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

A miniature city

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A prominent church

Many owners, one palace

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

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Between white and black

Searching for colour

An eagle-shaped city

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A half-Baroque church

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The disastrous earthquake

Wonderful quick decorations

Limestone, the colour of harmony