Palazzolo Acreide

A majestic and luminous church

facciata da piazza del popolo al tramontoThe church of San Sebastiano (St. Sebastian) is above street level and accessed by a long flight of stairs. The façade, 35 metres tall and made of white limestone, was designed by the master architect Mario Diamanti of Syracuse.

The church of San Sebastiano
The church of San Sebastiano is located higher than the street level and is accessible through a good twenty-four steps. The facade is 35 meters high and was made of white limestone, was designed by the master architect Mario Diamanti of Syracuse. It consists of three levels: the first contains the three entrance portals; the largest in the center is framed between two pairs of columns resting on two lions; above it was built a niche with the statue of San Sebastiano; The second band contains the clock and is closed at the sides by two volutes, is less wide than the lower floor; the third level completes the structure of the facade, was built around the second half of the eighteenth century with an opening and space for a bell. Finally, at an altitude of 42 meters from the level of the square, above the top floor, stands “u palieddu”, the fan-shaped flag.

It is formed of three levels. The first contains the three entrance portals, the largest in the middle is framed by two pairs of columns resting on two lions and finished at the top by a niche housing the statue of St. Sebastian.

zoom statua di San Sebastiano
statua di San Sebastiano

portale centrale tutto il complesso decorativo che ha intorno dettaglio leone del portale dettaglio leone del portale
The second section contains the clock and is completed at the sides by two volute ; the third level was finally completed around 1768 with a bell tower.

zoom L’orologio
L’orologio

The monumental exterior is matched by an incredibly precious interior: it’s a veritable treasure! Divided into three naves , the interior is a triumph of colour.
campanile  navata centrale
A black and white chessboard floor follows worshippers throughout the church. White and yellow faux marble covers the columns and their base.
Dettaglio pavimento dettaglio colonne navata centrale dettaglio colonne navata centrale
The white walls are illuminated with golden decorations that elevate the interior.
The vault of the nave is enriched by three frescoes painted by Gioacchino Gianforma and large windows with colourful glass that flood the interior with light.dettaglio voluteThe same windows are also found above the altars in the side naves, illuminated further by brilliant Murano glass chandeliers.

zoom lampadario in vetro di murano
lampadario in vetro di murano
Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The city of museums

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

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

From International Gothic to present day

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The Maiolica of the staircase

The interior and its masterpieces

A city in colour

One city, two sites

A square as the heart of the city

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Many owners, one palace

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

Prominent façade

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Wonderful quick decorations

A colourful floor

Between white and black

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

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

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A new site for a new church

Discovering the mother church

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The Staircase of Angels

The theatre of taste

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A feast only for Scicli

The Baroque town by the sea

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The disastrous earthquake

Norman apses

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Searching for colour

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A hall for the feasts

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A small room with a golden entrance

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A talking palace

A symbol for the town

A long reconstruction

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A museum to save a tradition

A triumph of colour

One city, three sites

The internal colours

New roads for Catania

A prominent church

An eagle-shaped city

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

The Burgos crucifix

The chocolate of Modica

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Some prestigious works

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Feast days

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

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

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

Some masterpieces

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

A majestic and luminous church

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

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

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

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A miniature city

A half-Baroque church

The colours of the cathedral

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The church of Carmine

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

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

Two illustrious patron saints

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

The two churches

The wall comes to life

A new site for a new city