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

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

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

The wall comes to life

The Baroque town by the sea

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

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

From International Gothic to present day

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

The disastrous earthquake

Some prestigious works

The chocolate of Modica

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The city of museums

A prominent church

Searching for colour

Connections with other UNESCO sites

One city, two sites

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

Two illustrious patron saints

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Wonderful quick decorations

Prominent façade

Between white and black

A hall for the feasts

A colourful floor

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A miniature city

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

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

Some masterpieces

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The church of Carmine

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

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

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

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

A triumph of colour

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A long reconstruction

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The theatre of taste

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A city in colour

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Feast days

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A talking palace

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The interior and its masterpieces

A symbol for the town

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A new site for a new city

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

A feast only for Scicli

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

New roads for Catania

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

The two churches

A half-Baroque church

A majestic and luminous church

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Limestone, the colour of harmony

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Feasting in Palazzolo

The Burgos crucifix

A square as the heart of the city

One city, three sites

The Maiolica of the staircase

A small room with a golden entrance

Discovering the mother church

The Staircase of Angels

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Norman apses

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The colours of the cathedral

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

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

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Many owners, one palace

A new site for a new church

A museum to save a tradition