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.

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Discovering the mother church

Feast days

The Maiolica of the staircase

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

One city, three sites

The disastrous earthquake

A majestic and luminous church

One city, two sites

A half-Baroque church

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The theatre of taste

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

New roads for Catania

An eagle-shaped city

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

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 Giovanni Battista

The Staircase of Angels

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Norman apses

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

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

Some masterpieces

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

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The internal colours

The Burgos crucifix

A symbol for the town

Two illustrious patron saints

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A colourful floor

A long reconstruction

A talking palace

The Baroque town by the sea

A square as the heart of the city

The two churches

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Many owners, one palace

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

Wonderful quick decorations

Some prestigious works

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Between white and black

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

A triumph of colour

A museum to save a tradition

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

The colours of the cathedral

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

A hall for the feasts

Connections with other UNESCO sites

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

A small room with a golden entrance

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A new site for a new city

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

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 Giovanni Evangelista

From International Gothic to present day

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The church of Carmine

Searching for colour

Prominent façade

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The chocolate of Modica

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A city in colour

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Limestone, the colour of harmony

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

The wall comes to life

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

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The city of museums

A miniature city

A feast only for Scicli

The interior and its masterpieces

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