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.

The internal colours

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Searching for colour

The disastrous earthquake

The Staircase of Angels

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

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

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Some prestigious works

The Burgos crucifix

A prominent church

The theatre of taste

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A long reconstruction

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

An eagle-shaped city

The wall comes to life

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A majestic and luminous church

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

New roads for Catania

Many owners, one palace

From International Gothic to present day

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

One city, three sites

Prominent façade

A triumph of colour

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Discovering the mother church

The city of museums

A half-Baroque church

The interior and its masterpieces

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

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

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A city in colour

Feast days

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

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

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The two churches

A colourful floor

A miniature city

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A feast only for Scicli

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Some masterpieces

Wonderful quick decorations

A square as the heart of the city

Two illustrious patron saints

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

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

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

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

A symbol for the town

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

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

A talking palace

The colours of the cathedral

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The chocolate of Modica

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

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

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The Maiolica of the staircase

The Baroque town by the sea

A small room with a golden entrance

Norman apses

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A hall for the feasts

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A museum to save a tradition

The church of Carmine

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A new site for a new church

Feasting in Palazzolo

Between white and black

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A new site for a new city

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

One city, two sites

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara