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

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

A small room with a golden entrance

New roads for Catania

The internal colours

The city of museums

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

A symbol for the town

A colourful floor

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The two churches

The Maiolica of the staircase

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

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

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

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A half-Baroque church

One city, three sites

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Some prestigious works

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The theatre of taste

Wonderful quick decorations

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

One city, two sites

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Some masterpieces

A feast only for Scicli

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Searching for colour

A hall for the feasts

The colours of the cathedral

A miniature city

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The façade used as a puppet theatre

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

Norman apses

The Baroque town by the sea

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The chocolate of Modica

Two illustrious patron saints

A long reconstruction

The wall comes to life

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A new site for a new city

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The church of Carmine

The disastrous earthquake

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Between white and black

The Staircase of Angels

A prominent church

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

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

An eagle-shaped city

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

A square as the heart of the city

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The interior and its masterpieces

Discovering the mother church

Many owners, one palace

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

From International Gothic to present day

Feast days

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

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A museum to save a tradition

A majestic and luminous church

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

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

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

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A triumph of colour

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Feasting in Palazzolo

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A new site for a new church

A city in colour

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

A talking palace

The Burgos crucifix

Prominent façade