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.

An eagle-shaped city

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

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

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

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The Burgos crucifix

The interior and its masterpieces

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Wonderful quick decorations

The colours of the cathedral

Norman apses

Many owners, one palace

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A miniature city

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The wall comes to life

A square as the heart of the city

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Some masterpieces

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A prominent church

Feast days

A symbol for the town

A triumph of colour

Between white and black

From International Gothic to present day

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A small room with a golden entrance

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The two churches

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

A hall for the feasts

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A city in colour

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

New roads for Catania

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Discovering the mother church

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A feast only for Scicli

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

The theatre of taste

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

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

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The city of museums

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

The internal colours

A half-Baroque church

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A new site for a new church

A colourful floor

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A new site for a new city

Two illustrious patron saints

The Maiolica of the staircase

Some prestigious works

A talking palace

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A majestic and luminous church

One city, three sites

The church of Carmine

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

One city, two sites

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

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Prominent façade

The Staircase of Angels

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Searching for colour

A museum to save a tradition

A long reconstruction

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The Baroque town by the sea

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The chocolate of Modica

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The disastrous earthquake

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe