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.

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The theatre of taste

Two illustrious patron saints

Some prestigious works

The city of museums

Feast days

A square as the heart of the city

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

A long reconstruction

A triumph of colour

A majestic and luminous church

Searching for colour

Limestone, the colour of harmony

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

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

The interior and its masterpieces

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

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

A new site for a new church

The wall comes to life

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

One city, three sites

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A museum to save a tradition

Some masterpieces

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A half-Baroque church

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

The Burgos crucifix

Discovering the mother church

A small room with a golden entrance

The Maiolica of the staircase

The two churches

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The disastrous earthquake

An eagle-shaped city

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The chocolate of Modica

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The church of Carmine

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The Baroque town by the sea

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

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

New roads for Catania

A new site for a new city

Many owners, one palace

A symbol for the town

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Prominent façade

Norman apses

Feasting in Palazzolo

The colours of the cathedral

The Staircase of Angels

A feast only for Scicli

One city, two sites

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A hall for the feasts

Between white and black

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

A colourful floor

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The internal colours

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A prominent church

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

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

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

Modica, a city with ancient origins

From International Gothic to present day

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

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A city in colour

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

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Wonderful quick decorations

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

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A miniature city

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A talking palace