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

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

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A Nobel Prize in Modica

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

The theatre of taste

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The Staircase of Angels

One city, three sites

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The church of Carmine

Discovering the mother church

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

New roads for Catania

The disastrous earthquake

The wall comes to life

The colours of the cathedral

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

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

A square as the heart of the city

Norman apses

The internal colours

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

The interior and its masterpieces

Searching for colour

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

St. Sebastian, so much work!

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

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

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A miniature city

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

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A museum to save a tradition

An eagle-shaped city

A symbol for the town

A colourful floor

A new site for a new city

A hall for the feasts

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Feast days

The Baroque town by the sea

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A city in colour

A talking palace

Some prestigious works

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

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

The two churches

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

Many owners, one palace

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

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A small room with a golden entrance

One city, two sites

A prominent church

Prominent façade

A half-Baroque church

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A triumph of colour

From International Gothic to present day

A long reconstruction

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The city of museums

The chocolate of Modica

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Wonderful quick decorations

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Between white and black

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The Burgos crucifix

The Maiolica of the staircase

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Two illustrious patron saints

Some masterpieces

Feasting in Palazzolo

A new site for a new church

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A majestic and luminous church

A feast only for Scicli