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.

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

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

The city of museums

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

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

A feast only for Scicli

New roads for Catania

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A talking palace

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A prominent church

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

The interior and its masterpieces

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Searching for colour

The church of Carmine

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

The Burgos crucifix

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Wonderful quick decorations

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

One city, two sites

Limestone, the colour of harmony

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

The internal colours

A new site for a new city

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The two churches

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The colours of the cathedral

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A majestic and luminous church

From International Gothic to present day

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A symbol for the town

Prominent façade

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A museum to save a tradition

A triumph of colour

Between white and black

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

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

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

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The Staircase of Angels

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A colourful floor

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

One city, three sites

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Many owners, one palace

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A city in colour

A half-Baroque church

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A new site for a new church

A miniature city

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A hall for the feasts

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A small room with a golden entrance

Two illustrious patron saints

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The chocolate of Modica

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

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Feasting in Palazzolo

Some prestigious works

A long reconstruction

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The Maiolica of the staircase

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The wall comes to life

The Baroque town by the sea

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Some masterpieces

The theatre of taste

The disastrous earthquake

An eagle-shaped city

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

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A square as the heart of the city

Feast days

Norman apses

Discovering the mother church