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.

Prominent façade

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A museum to save a tradition

A feast only for Scicli

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

One city, two sites

A prominent church

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The Staircase of Angels

From International Gothic to present day

The façade used as a puppet theatre

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The Maiolica of the staircase

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The interior and its masterpieces

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

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The wall comes to life

The disastrous earthquake

A small room with a golden entrance

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

The church of Carmine

Searching for colour

The internal colours

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

The city of museums

A talking palace

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A triumph of colour

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

One city, three sites

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Some prestigious works

The theatre of taste

The colours of the cathedral

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A majestic and luminous church

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

The two churches

The Burgos crucifix

Some masterpieces

A new site for a new church

A city in colour

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A hall for the feasts

Between white and black

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A Nobel Prize in Modica

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

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Two illustrious patron saints

New roads for Catania

A new site for a new city

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

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

Many owners, one palace

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A long reconstruction

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

The Baroque town by the sea

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

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

A square as the heart of the city

A half-Baroque church

A colourful floor

The chocolate of Modica

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

An eagle-shaped city

Feasting in Palazzolo

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A symbol for the town

Discovering the mother church

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

Feast days

Wonderful quick decorations

A miniature city

Norman apses

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public