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.

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

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

From International Gothic to present day

Feasting in Palazzolo

The Maiolica of the staircase

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

The chocolate of Modica

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Searching for colour

A feast only for Scicli

The city of museums

A square as the heart of the city

The wall comes to life

Modica, a city with ancient origins

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A new site for a new city

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A miniature city

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A prominent church

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

New roads for Catania

A hall for the feasts

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Connections with other UNESCO sites

St. Sebastian, so much work!

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

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A majestic and luminous church

The Baroque town by the sea

The church of Carmine

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

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

Feast days

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

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

One city, three sites

Prominent façade

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Some masterpieces

One city, two sites

Some prestigious works

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Burgos crucifix

The disastrous earthquake

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

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The façade used as a puppet theatre

An eagle-shaped city

A small room with a golden entrance

The internal colours

Norman apses

The two churches

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

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

A symbol for the town

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Between white and black

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The interior and its masterpieces

The Staircase of Angels

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

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The theatre of taste

Two illustrious patron saints

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

A long reconstruction

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A triumph of colour

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Discovering the mother church

Many owners, one palace

Wonderful quick decorations

The colours of the cathedral

A half-Baroque church

A colourful floor

A museum to save a tradition

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

A new site for a new church

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A city in colour

A talking palace