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.

A majestic and luminous church

A colourful floor

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

A talking palace

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

One city, two sites

The disastrous earthquake

A hall for the feasts

The chocolate of Modica

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

One city, three sites

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

From International Gothic to present day

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The city of museums

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The Staircase of Angels

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The internal colours

An eagle-shaped city

The two churches

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A miniature city

The church of Carmine

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A city in colour

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

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

A half-Baroque church

A symbol for the town

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A new site for a new city

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

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A long reconstruction

Feast days

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Maiolica of the staircase

Some masterpieces

A square as the heart of the city

The wall comes to life

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Searching for colour

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

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The Baroque town by the sea

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

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 Giuseppe

A small room with a golden entrance

Norman apses

Discovering the mother church

Wonderful quick decorations

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

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A triumph of colour

A prominent church

Some prestigious works

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

Between white and black

The theatre of taste

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

Prominent façade

Many owners, one palace

The Burgos crucifix

Feasting in Palazzolo

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The colours of the cathedral

New roads for Catania

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

A museum to save a tradition

A feast only for Scicli

The interior and its masterpieces

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Two illustrious patron saints

A new site for a new church