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 senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A city in colour

A feast only for Scicli

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

Two illustrious patron saints

The theatre of taste

The colours of the cathedral

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Some prestigious works

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

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

New roads for Catania

The Burgos crucifix

Wonderful quick decorations

A museum to save a tradition

The interior and its masterpieces

A symbol for the town

An eagle-shaped city

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

From International Gothic to present day

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Discovering the mother church

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Prominent façade

The internal colours

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

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

A talking palace

A new site for a new church

Feast days

Searching for colour

A half-Baroque church

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

The disastrous earthquake

Many owners, one palace

A small room with a golden entrance

A hall for the feasts

A new site for a new city

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Some masterpieces

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A colourful floor

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The Maiolica of the staircase

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

St. Sebastian, so much work!

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Feasting in Palazzolo

Between white and black

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The two churches

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The Baroque town by the sea

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

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

The city of museums

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A triumph of colour

A miniature city

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

Norman apses

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A prominent church

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

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

The Staircase of Angels

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

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

A long reconstruction

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

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

One city, three sites

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A majestic and luminous church

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

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The church of Carmine

The chocolate of Modica

One city, two sites

The wall comes to life

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A square as the heart of the city