Scicli

The Burgos crucifix

The church houses the original painting of the Burgos Crucifix.
The work is known to date from 1696 thanks to an inscription on the back of the canvas that reveals the year it was painted, but not its author.
There is equally dubious and unclear information about the commission and the dynamics that brought the work to the church of San Giovanni Evangelista (St. John the Evangelist). It was likely a Spanish artist linked to a commissioner who was also Spanish, or of Spanish origin, and the canvas is presumed to have been either a gift from an aristocratic family, perhaps the Di Stefano family (Giovanna Di Stefano founded the monastery), or the dowry of a young high-ranking nun.
The painting tela crocifisso di Burgosrecounts the most tragic moment in Christian history, the Crucifixion.
The dark background of the canvas conveys anxiety and all the tragedy of the event. Christ is shown in the centre of the canvas with a bowed head, long hair, beard and crown of thorns; his body shows clear signs of suffering and he has numerous wounds on his arms and chest. As per tradition, his hands and feet are nailed down.
What is completely unusual is the white robe that Jesus wears; embroidered and ankle-length, it is not often seen in paintings. It stands out from the near-black background, while the cross fades into it. Two silver cups and an ostrich egg are placed beneath the cross. In Christian symbolism, the ostrich egg represents resurrection.
Though Christ’s pose is the one we see in most depictions, the same cannot be said for his robe, making the unprecedented representation an important testimony.

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

Some prestigious works

One city, three sites

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Some masterpieces

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Between white and black

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

An eagle-shaped city

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A prominent church

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A new site for a new city

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A half-Baroque church

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The interior and its masterpieces

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A long reconstruction

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

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

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

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

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Discovering the mother church

A new site for a new church

Prominent façade

A talking palace

The disastrous earthquake

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The Maiolica of the staircase

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The theatre of taste

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A symbol for the town

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

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The church of Carmine

A hall for the feasts

Two illustrious patron saints

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A miniature city

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

Feasting in Palazzolo

One city, two sites

A city in colour

The wall comes to life

Feast days

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

The city of museums

New roads for Catania

A museum to save a tradition

A feast only for Scicli

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Norman apses

Wonderful quick decorations

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

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

The two churches

From International Gothic to present day

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The chocolate of Modica

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Burgos crucifix

Searching for colour

A colourful floor

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The colours of the cathedral

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A small room with a golden entrance

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The internal colours

A majestic and luminous church

The Staircase of Angels

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

A square as the heart of the city

The Baroque town by the sea

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

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

A triumph of colour

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Many owners, one palace