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 church of Carmine

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

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Some prestigious works

A majestic and luminous church

The wall comes to life

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

The colours of the cathedral

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A triumph of colour

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Some masterpieces

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

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

New roads for Catania

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

From International Gothic to present day

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

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

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

A long reconstruction

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The chocolate of Modica

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

One city, three sites

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Searching for colour

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

A symbol for the town

The Maiolica of the staircase

Many owners, one palace

Feasting in Palazzolo

A prominent church

The Staircase of Angels

Discovering the mother church

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

Feast days

A square as the heart of the city

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Two illustrious patron saints

The city of museums

Between white and black

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The interior and its masterpieces

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Norman apses

A half-Baroque church

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The disastrous earthquake

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Prominent façade

The two churches

One city, two sites

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A colourful floor

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The theatre of taste

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A hall for the feasts

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

A museum to save a tradition

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A small room with a golden entrance

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The internal colours

An eagle-shaped city

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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

A new site for a new city

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A new site for a new church

A city in colour

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A feast only for Scicli

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The Burgos crucifix

A talking palace

The Baroque town by the sea

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A miniature city

Wonderful quick decorations

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