Caltagirone

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

sight
Infinite colours for a single staircase

scala-infisorata-caltagironeWow!
The Staircase of St. Mary of the Mountain during the town’s most important feasts is an exciting sight.
In May the taircase becomes a colourful carpet of plants and flowers that perfume the air and together create a spectacular design dedicated to the Madonna dei Conadomini.
But it doesn’t stop here! To celebrate St. James and the Assumption of Mary into Heaven, 4000 tea lights are lit, one by one, to form a unique design on the staircase!
All the inhabitants take part and thousands of people meet at the foot of the staircase, all looking for the best viewpoint.

smell
The scent of the feasts

In addition to its colours and lights during the two most important feasts, the Staircase of St. Mary of the Mountain is also filled with various scents.
The smell of flowers accompanies the feast dedicated to the Madonna Conadomini, while burning wax is the typical aroma for the celebrations of St. James and the Assumption of the Virgin.
The flames of 140 tea lights illuminate the staircase until they go out, giving way to a slight burning smell.

One city, three sites

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

A majestic and luminous church

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A long reconstruction

An eagle-shaped city

Some prestigious works

The Baroque town by the sea

A talking palace

A square as the heart of the city

The colours of the cathedral

A colourful floor

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The two churches

A museum to save a tradition

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Norman apses

A feast only for Scicli

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A prominent church

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The interior and its masterpieces

Feasting in Palazzolo

Many owners, one palace

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The Staircase of Angels

From International Gothic to present day

One city, two sites

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A new site for a new city

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Wonderful quick decorations

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

Discovering the mother church

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A new site for a new church

The Maiolica of the staircase

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Two illustrious patron saints

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

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

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

A miniature city

Some masterpieces

The theatre of taste

A small room with a golden entrance

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Burgos crucifix

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A city in colour

A hall for the feasts

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Prominent façade

A triumph of colour

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A half-Baroque church

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

The city of museums

The wall comes to life

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The disastrous earthquake

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A symbol for the town

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Searching for colour

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

The chocolate of Modica

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

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

Feast days

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The internal colours

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The church of Carmine

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

New roads for Catania

Between white and black

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

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

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church