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 Benedictine Monastery and San NicoIò l’Arena

The disastrous earthquake

A square as the heart of the city

A small room with a golden entrance

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The church of Carmine

A hall for the feasts

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Norman apses

A Nobel Prize in Modica

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

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

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The Burgos crucifix

The two churches

The interior and its masterpieces

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The colours of the cathedral

The Staircase of Angels

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

From International Gothic to present day

The city of museums

One city, two sites

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

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

Between white and black

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

A museum to save a tradition

The Baroque town by the sea

Feasting in Palazzolo

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A feast only for Scicli

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Searching for colour

A symbol for the town

Some masterpieces

A miniature city

An eagle-shaped city

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Discovering the mother church

The internal colours

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A triumph of colour

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A half-Baroque church

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

Some prestigious works

A prominent church

A new site for a new church

New roads for Catania

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The chocolate of Modica

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Wonderful quick decorations

One city, three sites

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

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

A colourful floor

A majestic and luminous church

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The wall comes to life

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A city in colour

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A talking palace

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Two illustrious patron saints

A new site for a new city

Modica, a city with ancient origins

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

Feast days

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

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

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The theatre of taste

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

Many owners, one palace

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A long reconstruction

The Maiolica of the staircase

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

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Prominent façade