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 museum to save a tradition

A long reconstruction

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

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

A triumph of colour

Some masterpieces

Many owners, one palace

A city in colour

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The city of museums

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 San Sebastiano

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The Burgos crucifix

The Baroque town by the sea

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

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A majestic and luminous church

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Wonderful quick decorations

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

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

A new site for a new city

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

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

The colours of the cathedral

A new site for a new church

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The two churches

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The wall comes to life

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A half-Baroque church

The internal colours

The church of Carmine

Feast days

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

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Between white and black

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Searching for colour

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A small room with a golden entrance

One city, three sites

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

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

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The theatre of taste

New roads for Catania

Feasting in Palazzolo

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

One city, two sites

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The chocolate of Modica

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A hall for the feasts

Norman apses

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The Maiolica of the staircase

A symbol for the town

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Two illustrious patron saints

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

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

From International Gothic to present day

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A feast only for Scicli

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

Some prestigious works

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

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The interior and its masterpieces

A square as the heart of the city

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Discovering the mother church

Prominent façade

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The Staircase of Angels

A colourful floor

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A prominent church

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A miniature city

The disastrous earthquake

A talking palace