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

Discovering the mother church

A square as the heart of the city

A talking palace

Wonderful quick decorations

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

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The two churches

A colourful floor

The disastrous earthquake

Searching for colour

The theatre of taste

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Two illustrious patron saints

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

A city in colour

Many owners, one palace

New roads for Catania

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Feasting in Palazzolo

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Modica, a city with ancient origins

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

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

The wall comes to life

The colours of the cathedral

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

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The Baroque town by the sea

Some masterpieces

The city of museums

A half-Baroque church

A hall for the feasts

The Maiolica of the staircase

A prominent church

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

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

A museum to save a tradition

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

A miniature city

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

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

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

Feast days

A Nobel Prize in Modica

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

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

An eagle-shaped city

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

A feast only for Scicli

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Between white and black

One city, three sites

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

A triumph of colour

The Staircase of Angels

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A new site for a new city

A small room with a golden entrance

The Burgos crucifix

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Some prestigious works

Prominent façade

A symbol for the town

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

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

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The interior and its masterpieces

One city, two sites

A new site for a new church

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The chocolate of Modica

From International Gothic to present day

Norman apses

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The church of Carmine

A long reconstruction

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

A majestic and luminous church

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction