Ragusa

One city, two sites

The town of Ragusa Ibla is built across three different hilly areas separated by a deep valley.
The town is the union of Ibla and Ragusa: Ibla was founded by the Sicels, before the birth of Christ. Ragusa, on the other hand, has much less ancient origins and is linked to the tragic earthquake.foto città nel complesso Following the earthquake, when deciding where to rebuild the town, no agreement could be reached.
The population was divided into two factions: the sangiorgiari suggested the old site; the sangiovannari sought to rebuild it elsewhere.
The former were aristocrats of very old lineage who lived in the parish of San Giorgio (St. George); the Sangiovannari, on the other hand, who lived outside the walls in the district of San Giovanni (St. John), were made up of the poor and the nouveau riche. Neither side wanted to give in, so two independent towns were built. foto IblaIbla was rebuilt on a lower hill than Ragusa and the old road layout was maintained.
Ragusa was planned perfectly with a system of roads that crossed at right angles.
Though rebuilt independently and autonomously from one another, Ragusa and Ibla share the style of Baroque art.
Over time the clear division was lost and the inhabitants began to live in the intermediate space, but it was not until 1926 that Ibla and Ragusa were reunited.foto ragusa

Connections with other UNESCO 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 San Giovanni Evangelista

Two illustrious patron saints

Some prestigious works

Many owners, one palace

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The city of museums

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The theatre of taste

The church of Carmine

A talking palace

The two churches

The Baroque town by the sea

A half-Baroque church

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Some masterpieces

A prominent church

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The disastrous earthquake

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A majestic and luminous church

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The chocolate of Modica

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

The interior and its masterpieces

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

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

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A feast only for Scicli

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

A city in colour

Feast days

From International Gothic to present day

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A small room with a golden entrance

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

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

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

The Burgos crucifix

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

A symbol for the town

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Feasting in Palazzolo

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The internal colours

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The colours of the cathedral

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Searching for colour

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Norman apses

Prominent façade

A new site for a new city

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A miniature city

One city, two sites

An eagle-shaped city

New roads for Catania

A hall for the feasts

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A long reconstruction

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Wonderful quick decorations

The wall comes to life

A colourful floor

The Maiolica of the staircase

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A Nobel Prize in Modica

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Discovering the mother church

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

A triumph of colour

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Staircase of Angels

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

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

One city, three sites

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A new site for a new church

Between white and black

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A square as the heart of the city

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A museum to save a tradition