Caltagirone

A museum to save a tradition

In 1965, the Museum of Ceramics was founded in order to save a centuries-old tradition. Located on one of the main streets, Via Roma, the location was refurbished before the inauguration.
It has a special entrance, a 19th-century portico that rests on a tall raised structure accessed by a series of staircases. The maiolica decorations make it extra special, embellishing and adding colour to the façade.
The museum contains pottery from the Greek age until the beginning of the 20th century, including collections of Arab, Norman, Suevian and Aragonese artefacts.

foto ceramiche in ordine di descrizione per periodo

foto ceramiche in ordine di descrizione per periodo foto ceramiche in ordine di descrizione per periodo
The pottery is exhibited in four large rooms, where there are around 2500 artefacts and work from the ancient, medieval, post-medieval and modern worlds. The collections mostly come from the Civic Museum of Caltagirone and the “ Luigi Sturzo “, State Institute of Art for Ceramics, but also from other Sicilian museums such as the Russo-Perez collection or from private collectors including Professor Antonino Ragona.

Norman apses

The chocolate of Modica

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

The Burgos crucifix

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

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

The two churches

A prominent church

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

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

New roads for Catania

A Nobel Prize in Modica

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

Prominent façade

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Two illustrious patron saints

A city in colour

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The wall comes to life

One city, two sites

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The interior and its masterpieces

A museum to save a tradition

Wonderful quick decorations

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Searching for colour

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

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

The internal colours

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A square as the heart of the city

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A small room with a golden entrance

Many owners, one palace

The disastrous earthquake

A miniature city

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

St. Sebastian, so much work!

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

The colours of the cathedral

Discovering the mother church

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A triumph of colour

The city of museums

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The church of Carmine

Limestone, the colour of harmony

An eagle-shaped city

Feast days

Feasting in Palazzolo

A new site for a new church

Some masterpieces

One city, three sites

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A feast only for Scicli

Some prestigious works

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A colourful floor

A half-Baroque church

A new site for a new city

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

The Maiolica of the staircase

A hall for the feasts

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The façade used as a puppet theatre

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

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A talking palace

The Baroque town by the sea

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A majestic and luminous church

Between white and black

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

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

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

From International Gothic to present day

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A long reconstruction

A symbol for the town

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The Staircase of Angels

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

The theatre of taste

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)