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.

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A symbol for the town

The theatre of taste

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The chocolate of Modica

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Some masterpieces

Prominent façade

One city, two sites

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

A new site for a new church

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The wall comes to life

A talking palace

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The colours of the cathedral

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

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

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The Maiolica of the staircase

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

The disastrous earthquake

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

A majestic and luminous church

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A small room with a golden entrance

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The Burgos crucifix

A feast only for Scicli

Feasting in Palazzolo

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The internal colours

A prominent church

Feast days

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Norman apses

A colourful floor

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Between white and black

Two illustrious patron saints

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A square as the heart of the city

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A miniature city

A new site for a new city

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Discovering the mother church

One city, three sites

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A long reconstruction

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Some prestigious works

From International Gothic to present day

A hall for the feasts

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The interior and its masterpieces

The church of Carmine

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The Baroque town by the sea

The city of museums

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A half-Baroque church

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Many owners, one palace

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

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

New roads for Catania

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The two churches

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

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A city in colour

The Staircase of Angels

Wonderful quick decorations

Searching for colour

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

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

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A museum to save a tradition

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

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

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

A triumph of colour

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

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