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.

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The wall comes to life

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

Norman apses

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The interior and its masterpieces

The disastrous earthquake

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

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Between white and black

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A miniature city

Two illustrious patron saints

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

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

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

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The two churches

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A symbol for the town

A square as the heart of the city

The colours of the cathedral

The façade used as a puppet theatre

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Prominent façade

A half-Baroque church

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

The theatre of taste

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Modica, a city with ancient origins

From International Gothic to present day

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

An eagle-shaped city

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Feast days

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

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

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

Some masterpieces

A museum to save a tradition

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

New roads for Catania

The Baroque town by the sea

A small room with a golden entrance

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A new site for a new city

The internal colours

A talking palace

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

The city of museums

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

Many owners, one palace

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Discovering the mother church

The church of Carmine

The Burgos crucifix

A long reconstruction

Feasting in Palazzolo

A colourful floor

A prominent church

A majestic and luminous church

The Maiolica of the staircase

Searching for colour

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

A city in colour

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

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

A triumph of colour

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

One city, three sites

The chocolate of Modica

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

A hall for the feasts

The Staircase of Angels

Wonderful quick decorations

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A new site for a new church

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A feast only for Scicli

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

One city, two sites

Some prestigious works