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.

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

Some prestigious works

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

A Nobel Prize in Modica

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The interior and its masterpieces

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

Many owners, one palace

A small room with a golden entrance

A feast only for Scicli

Two illustrious patron saints

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The Maiolica of the staircase

The Baroque town by the sea

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

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

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A new site for a new church

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

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A museum to save a tradition

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Prominent façade

The Staircase of Angels

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A majestic and luminous church

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Feast days

A hall for the feasts

Norman apses

A symbol for the town

The chocolate of Modica

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

A long reconstruction

The theatre of taste

From International Gothic to present day

A triumph of colour

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The internal colours

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The colours of the cathedral

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

A miniature city

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

New roads for Catania

A colourful floor

A prominent church

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A city in colour

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

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

A half-Baroque church

A square as the heart of the city

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

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

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The wall comes to life

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Between white and black

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Discovering the mother church

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

One city, two sites

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The Burgos crucifix

Searching for colour

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

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

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

One city, three sites

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

A new site for a new city

The church of Carmine

The two churches

Some masterpieces

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A talking palace

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The city of museums

Wonderful quick decorations

The disastrous earthquake