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 palace for the La Rocca lords

The Baroque town by the sea

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Norman apses

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

Two illustrious patron saints

A small room with a golden entrance

The colours of the cathedral

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The Burgos crucifix

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Some prestigious works

The theatre of taste

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

A miniature city

A majestic and luminous church

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

The internal colours

Some masterpieces

Feast days

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Between white and black

A symbol for the town

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

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The church of Carmine

New roads for Catania

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A prominent church

A new site for a new church

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

From International Gothic to present day

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The two churches

A Nobel Prize in Modica

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

A city in colour

A square as the heart of the city

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

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

Discovering the mother church

A talking palace

The disastrous earthquake

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Wonderful quick decorations

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A colourful floor

The chocolate of Modica

The Staircase of Angels

A museum to save a tradition

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A half-Baroque church

Searching for colour

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

Limestone, the colour of harmony

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

One city, two sites

The city of museums

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

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

The wall comes to life

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

One city, three sites

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The interior and its masterpieces

The Maiolica of the staircase

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A hall for the feasts

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

An eagle-shaped city

A long reconstruction

Feasting in Palazzolo

A feast only for Scicli

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A triumph of colour

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Prominent façade

A new site for a new city

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Many owners, one palace

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers