Noto

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The harmonious architecture and homogeneity of Noto stone create such a scenic balance that the city looks as though it were built in one night.
Noto was actually built over half a century by various architects and craftspeople. Noto omogeneita e l'armonia archtettureThe work of the architect Angelo Italia was fundamental: he organised the city space and created splendid scenographic effects, transforming squares and streets into stages.
No less important was Rosario Gagliardi .
His constant presence in Noto allowed him to closely monitor all of his construction sites and to teach and prepare new, young architects. Upon his death, his works were completed by one of his students, Vincenzo Sinatra , who never forgot the expert’s teachings.
None of this could have been achieved without good basic organisation.
Thanks to Baron Giuseppe Asmundo, the land for constructing the new buildings was allocated fairly and the height of the buildings was also clearly defined. In this way, the buildings were all the same, creating a harmonious and homogeneous landscape.
The choice of white limestone , was also important.This local stone, when lit up by the sun, takes on a golden yellow colour reminiscent of honey.Its appearance has remained unchanged over the centuries; minimal interventions were made and you can still admire it in all its beauty and grace today.The effect is a landscape wrapped in an ethereal light.

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A square as the heart of the city

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The Maiolica of the staircase

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

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

One city, two sites

The Staircase of Angels

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A small room with a golden entrance

Many owners, one palace

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The Baroque town by the sea

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

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

A prominent church

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

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Feasting in Palazzolo

A museum to save a tradition

Wonderful quick decorations

A hall for the feasts

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A half-Baroque church

Between white and black

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The church of Carmine

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

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

The interior and its masterpieces

The chocolate of Modica

A triumph of colour

A talking palace

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The city of museums

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Connections with other UNESCO sites

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

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A long reconstruction

An eagle-shaped city

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

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The Burgos crucifix

A feast only for Scicli

A new site for a new city

The wall comes to life

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Searching for colour

A miniature city

A majestic and luminous church

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

One city, three sites

The disastrous earthquake

The two churches

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

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

From International Gothic to present day

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Some masterpieces

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Discovering the mother church

A city in colour

New roads for Catania

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Norman apses

A colourful floor

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Two illustrious patron saints

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The internal colours

The theatre of taste

Prominent façade

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A new site for a new church

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Feast days

A symbol for the town

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Some prestigious works

The colours of the cathedral

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