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 prominent church

An eagle-shaped city

Searching for colour

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A new site for a new city

A half-Baroque church

Connections with other UNESCO sites

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

Feast days

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

The wall comes to life

Many owners, one palace

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Discovering the mother church

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

A Nobel Prize in Modica

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A miniature city

A colourful floor

The Baroque town by the sea

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The Maiolica of the staircase

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Wonderful quick decorations

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

Two illustrious patron saints

The Burgos crucifix

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Some prestigious works

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Between white and black

A square as the heart of the city

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

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

The two churches

New roads for Catania

Norman apses

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

From International Gothic to present day

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

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

The church of Carmine

A museum to save a tradition

The theatre of taste

A majestic and luminous church

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A feast only for Scicli

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

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

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

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

One city, three sites

The Staircase of Angels

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Some masterpieces

Prominent façade

A symbol for the town

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The chocolate of Modica

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The interior and its masterpieces

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A talking palace

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

A new site for a new church

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The internal colours

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

A city in colour

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A triumph of colour

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The disastrous earthquake

One city, two sites

A hall for the feasts

The city of museums

A long reconstruction

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A small room with a golden entrance

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The colours of the cathedral