Caltagirone

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

sight
Infinite colours for a single staircase

scala-infisorata-caltagironeWow!
The Staircase of St. Mary of the Mountain during the town’s most important feasts is an exciting sight.
In May the taircase becomes a colourful carpet of plants and flowers that perfume the air and together create a spectacular design dedicated to the Madonna dei Conadomini.
But it doesn’t stop here! To celebrate St. James and the Assumption of Mary into Heaven, 4000 tea lights are lit, one by one, to form a unique design on the staircase!
All the inhabitants take part and thousands of people meet at the foot of the staircase, all looking for the best viewpoint.

smell
The scent of the feasts

In addition to its colours and lights during the two most important feasts, the Staircase of St. Mary of the Mountain is also filled with various scents.
The smell of flowers accompanies the feast dedicated to the Madonna Conadomini, while burning wax is the typical aroma for the celebrations of St. James and the Assumption of the Virgin.
The flames of 140 tea lights illuminate the staircase until they go out, giving way to a slight burning smell.

Some prestigious works

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The disastrous earthquake

The Baroque town by the sea

A talking palace

The chocolate of Modica

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A prominent church

A feast only for Scicli

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 Giovanni Evangelista

A new site for a new church

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The internal colours

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

The two churches

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

An eagle-shaped city

The Burgos crucifix

Discovering the mother church

A museum to save a tradition

A long reconstruction

One city, two sites

Feasting in Palazzolo

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

Two illustrious patron saints

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A colourful floor

The interior and its masterpieces

A new site for a new city

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A triumph of colour

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Norman apses

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The Staircase of Angels

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

From International Gothic to present day

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Between white and black

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

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

Some masterpieces

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

The Maiolica of the staircase

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

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A hall for the feasts

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Prominent façade

Searching for colour

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

The city of museums

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

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

A square as the heart of the city

The façade used as a puppet theatre

New roads for Catania

One city, three sites

A city in colour

Feast days

The colours of the cathedral

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The theatre of taste

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A majestic and luminous church

Wonderful quick decorations

A symbol for the town

Many owners, one palace

The church of Carmine

A half-Baroque church

A miniature city

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A small room with a golden entrance

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours