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.

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The interior and its masterpieces

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

A new site for a new church

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

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

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Two illustrious patron saints

A miniature city

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

An eagle-shaped city

A talking palace

Wonderful quick decorations

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

Feast days

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A city in colour

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A triumph of colour

Prominent façade

Searching for colour

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A long reconstruction

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A square as the heart of the city

Connections with other UNESCO sites

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The disastrous earthquake

The chocolate of Modica

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A colourful floor

Some prestigious works

A half-Baroque church

The Staircase of Angels

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

New roads for Catania

The two churches

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

Feasting in Palazzolo

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The Maiolica of the staircase

One city, three sites

A new site for a new city

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

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Limestone, the colour of harmony

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

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

A hall for the feasts

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The internal colours

The city of museums

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A majestic and luminous church

Some masterpieces

The Burgos crucifix

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A museum to save a tradition

Norman apses

A symbol for the town

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

One city, two sites

The wall comes to life

The theatre of taste

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Many owners, one palace

Between white and black

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

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

The colours of the cathedral

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

A prominent church

From International Gothic to present day

The church of Carmine

Discovering the mother church

The Baroque town by the sea

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A feast only for Scicli

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A small room with a golden entrance