Noto

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The harmonious architecture and homogeneity of Noto stone create such a scenic balance that the city looks as though it were built in one night.
Noto was actually built over half a century by various architects and craftspeople. Noto omogeneita e l'armonia archtettureThe work of the architect Angelo Italia was fundamental: he organised the city space and created splendid scenographic effects, transforming squares and streets into stages.
No less important was Rosario Gagliardi .
His constant presence in Noto allowed him to closely monitor all of his construction sites and to teach and prepare new, young architects. Upon his death, his works were completed by one of his students, Vincenzo Sinatra , who never forgot the expert’s teachings.
None of this could have been achieved without good basic organisation.
Thanks to Baron Giuseppe Asmundo, the land for constructing the new buildings was allocated fairly and the height of the buildings was also clearly defined. In this way, the buildings were all the same, creating a harmonious and homogeneous landscape.
The choice of white limestone , was also important.This local stone, when lit up by the sun, takes on a golden yellow colour reminiscent of honey.Its appearance has remained unchanged over the centuries; minimal interventions were made and you can still admire it in all its beauty and grace today.The effect is a landscape wrapped in an ethereal light.

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The internal colours

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

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

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

The Staircase of Angels

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The Maiolica of the staircase

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

A feast only for Scicli

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A museum to save a tradition

A half-Baroque church

Norman apses

A city in colour

A new site for a new city

Feasting in Palazzolo

The wall comes to life

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Some prestigious works

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Wonderful quick decorations

Searching for colour

Feast days

One city, three sites

A majestic and luminous church

A colourful floor

A symbol for the town

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Some masterpieces

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A miniature city

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

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

One city, two sites

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

The disastrous earthquake

A prominent church

Between white and black

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A talking palace

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A long reconstruction

The two churches

The Baroque town by the sea

Prominent façade

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The chocolate of Modica

An eagle-shaped city

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A square as the heart of the city

Two illustrious patron saints

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The Burgos crucifix

A triumph of colour

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

New roads for Catania

A small room with a golden entrance

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

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The city of museums

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

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

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A hall for the feasts

The colours of the cathedral

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

A new site for a new church

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The interior and its masterpieces

The church of Carmine

Many owners, one palace

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

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

From International Gothic to present day

The theatre of taste

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

Discovering the mother church