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.

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A miniature city

Searching for colour

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

One city, three sites

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

From International Gothic to present day

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A square as the heart of the city

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The chocolate of Modica

A symbol for the town

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The Burgos crucifix

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A small room with a golden entrance

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

The wall comes to life

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The Staircase of Angels

The Maiolica of the staircase

A majestic and luminous church

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A city in colour

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

A new site for a new city

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A colourful floor

New roads for Catania

A prominent church

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

Between white and black

The internal colours

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

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

The colours of the cathedral

The disastrous earthquake

Feast days

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A hall for the feasts

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

An eagle-shaped city

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Two illustrious patron saints

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The city of museums

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

A new site for a new church

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

The interior and its masterpieces

The Baroque town by the sea

The theatre of taste

Discovering the mother church

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

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Norman apses

Some prestigious works

The two churches

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Prominent façade

A talking palace

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A museum to save a tradition

Many owners, one palace

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

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

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

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

One city, two sites

The church of Carmine

Some masterpieces

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

A feast only for Scicli

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A long reconstruction

A triumph of colour

A half-Baroque church

Feasting in Palazzolo

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Wonderful quick decorations

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)