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.

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The city of museums

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

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

The theatre of taste

Searching for colour

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The interior and its masterpieces

Limestone, the colour of harmony

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

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The Staircase of Angels

A museum to save a tradition

Two illustrious patron saints

A miniature city

A new site for a new church

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

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

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A triumph of colour

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A symbol for the town

One city, three sites

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The Baroque town by the sea

Feasting in Palazzolo

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A new site for a new city

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

A talking palace

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

From International Gothic to present day

Prominent façade

A prominent church

New roads for Catania

A long reconstruction

A city in colour

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

The disastrous earthquake

Wonderful quick decorations

The colours of the cathedral

A feast only for Scicli

The wall comes to life

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A half-Baroque church

The church of Carmine

A small room with a golden entrance

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

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Discovering the mother church

The internal colours

Norman apses

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Feast days

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

One city, two sites

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A majestic and luminous church

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The Burgos crucifix

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A hall for the feasts

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

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A square as the heart of the city

Some prestigious works

Many owners, one palace

A colourful floor

The chocolate of Modica

Some masterpieces

Between white and black

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The Maiolica of the staircase

The two churches

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

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers