Ragusa

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

sight
A valley for Palazzo La Rocca

The green valley overlooked by Palazzo La Rocca is a riot of colours that vary with the changing seasons.
From the strong bright colours of spring, it moves on to shades of yellow and ochre in summer due to the lack of rain. As it reaches the end of summer, the colours are reborn with autumn fruits, such as pomegranate and quince.
Finally, winter arrives, which by nature makes everything darker, grey and less luxuriant.

hearing
The noises of a bygone era

The corbels of Palazzo La Rocca are a memory from a bygone era, especially the balcony with the flute and tenor mandola players, which brings to mind the sweet melodies played at the great parties held at the Palazzo, one of the most important events for the aristocracy. Delicate sounds accompanied the balls and dances in the great hall!

smell
The smell of the stone

The entrance to Palazzo La Rocca is extremely evocative.
With a little imagination you can picture Don Saverio La Rocca climbing the pietra pece staircase at the entrance.
What makes the atrium unique, however, is the strong smell of petroleum that envelops the entire space. It’s hard to believe, but the stone’s composition gives the room a sharp scent that verges on unpleasant, though it is fascinating to think that nature was able to create such a strong-smelling stone.

The Maiolica of the staircase

The wall comes to life

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Prominent façade

The Staircase of Angels

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

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

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A small room with a golden entrance

Many owners, one palace

A long reconstruction

Feasting in Palazzolo

A half-Baroque church

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

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

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

One city, two sites

A museum to save a tradition

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

An eagle-shaped city

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

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

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

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

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The church of Carmine

A square as the heart of the city

Some masterpieces

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The disastrous earthquake

A symbol for the town

Discovering the mother church

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A talking palace

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Baroque town by the sea

The chocolate of Modica

The internal colours

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A hall for the feasts

Wonderful quick decorations

Modica, a city with ancient origins

New roads for Catania

A triumph of colour

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Two illustrious patron saints

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The colours of the cathedral

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Between white and black

A majestic and luminous church

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

The city of museums

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

A city in colour

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

A prominent church

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

A miniature city

The Burgos crucifix

Some prestigious works

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Searching for colour

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

One city, three sites

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

From International Gothic to present day

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

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A colourful floor

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Feast days

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A new site for a new city

A feast only for Scicli

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

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

Norman apses

A new site for a new church

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The interior and its masterpieces

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The two churches

The theatre of taste

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords