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.

A square as the heart of the city

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

A triumph of colour

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A symbol for the town

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The Baroque town by the sea

A city in colour

The theatre of taste

The city of museums

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

A colourful floor

From International Gothic to present day

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Wonderful quick decorations

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Searching for colour

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

Many owners, one palace

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Feast days

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A new site for a new city

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

Between white and black

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

The interior and its masterpieces

The Burgos crucifix

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The disastrous earthquake

An eagle-shaped city

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

Norman apses

St. Sebastian, so much work!

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

The colours of the cathedral

The two churches

A museum to save a tradition

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A talking palace

Some prestigious works

New roads for Catania

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A majestic and luminous church

The chocolate of Modica

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The façade used as a puppet theatre

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

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

Some masterpieces

Discovering the mother church

The internal colours

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

Two illustrious patron saints

A prominent church

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A new site for a new church

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

One city, three sites

A hall for the feasts

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

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

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The Maiolica of the staircase

A small room with a golden entrance

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A long reconstruction

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

One city, two sites

Prominent façade

The wall comes to life

The Staircase of Angels

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

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

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A miniature city

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The church of Carmine

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

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

A half-Baroque church

A feast only for Scicli