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

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A city in colour

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

A museum to save a tradition

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A feast only for Scicli

A long reconstruction

A symbol for the town

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A talking palace

New roads for Catania

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A triumph of colour

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

Discovering the mother church

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

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Two illustrious patron saints

One city, two sites

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Feasting in Palazzolo

Many owners, one palace

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Wonderful quick decorations

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A hall for the feasts

The church of Carmine

The Maiolica of the staircase

A half-Baroque church

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Prominent façade

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A square as the heart of the city

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The chocolate of Modica

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The internal colours

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The city of museums

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Baroque town by the sea

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

One city, three sites

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The disastrous earthquake

Some prestigious works

A new site for a new city

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

From International Gothic to present day

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A small room with a golden entrance

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

The two churches

The theatre of taste

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A new site for a new church

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A miniature city

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

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

Feast days

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Between white and black

The interior and its masterpieces

The colours of the cathedral

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Some masterpieces

Searching for colour

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A prominent church

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

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The Staircase of Angels

The wall comes to life

A majestic and luminous church

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Modica, a city with ancient origins

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

A colourful floor

The Burgos crucifix

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

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

Norman apses

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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