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.

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A prominent church

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Searching for colour

A symbol for the town

The disastrous earthquake

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Norman apses

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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

Prominent façade

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A long reconstruction

One city, three sites

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A new site for a new city

A colourful floor

A triumph of colour

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Some masterpieces

The interior and its masterpieces

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

The wall comes to life

A talking palace

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The internal colours

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Between white and black

Feast days

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

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The Burgos crucifix

The church of Carmine

A square as the heart of the city

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A new site for a new church

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A majestic and luminous church

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

A city in colour

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

An eagle-shaped city

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

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

Many owners, one palace

Some prestigious works

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The colours of the cathedral

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

Two illustrious patron saints

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Feasting in Palazzolo

A half-Baroque church

The Staircase of Angels

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

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

The Maiolica of the staircase

The city of museums

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

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

The Baroque town by the sea

Discovering the mother church

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Limestone, the colour of harmony

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

Wonderful quick decorations

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A small room with a golden entrance

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

From International Gothic to present day

A feast only for Scicli

The theatre of taste

The two churches

A hall for the feasts

New roads for Catania

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

A museum to save a tradition

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The chocolate of Modica

A miniature city

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

One city, two sites

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church