Palazzolo Acreide

The two churches

The two main churches of Palazzolo Acreide, the Church of San Paolo (St. Paul) and the Church of San Sebastiano (St. Sebastian), are excellent examples of the particular late Baroque style.
  
They stand out from the other buildings in the town and hold particular significance.
Each with their own style, they form a theatrical setting that characterises the town space, so much so that their surrounding districts are named after them.
The great value of the two religious buildings is given by the interesting architectural features and the rich, elaborate decorations preserved inside. Both were rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake to demonstrate the wealth possessed by the local confraternities.
Religious feasts are very popular in Palazzolo Acreide! They take place from June to October and are dedicated to the town’s patron saints.
The feast of St. Paul the Apostle (29th June) ) has very ancient origins, is internationally celebrated and attracts thousands of worshippers and tourists every year. The same can be said of the feast in honour of St. Sebastian to whom almost the entire month of August is dedicated.

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The Baroque town by the sea

A miniature city

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

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Discovering the mother church

A Nobel Prize in Modica

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

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A prominent church

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

From International Gothic to present day

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

A square as the heart of the city

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

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

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The Maiolica of the staircase

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A museum to save a tradition

A colourful floor

The internal colours

A city in colour

The theatre of taste

A majestic and luminous church

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A long reconstruction

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

The two churches

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The Staircase of Angels

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

A symbol for the town

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A small room with a golden entrance

The wall comes to life

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A new site for a new city

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Between white and black

A new site for a new church

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Wonderful quick decorations

The disastrous earthquake

New roads for Catania

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

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

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

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The Burgos crucifix

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A hall for the feasts

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Connections with other UNESCO sites

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A feast only for Scicli

Some prestigious works

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The church of Carmine

The colours of the cathedral

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The interior and its masterpieces

A triumph of colour

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

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The chocolate of Modica

One city, two sites

Prominent façade

A talking palace

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A half-Baroque church

Feast days

One city, three sites

Many owners, one palace

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Norman apses

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The city of museums

An eagle-shaped city

Searching for colour

Some masterpieces

Two illustrious patron saints

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