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 long reconstruction

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The church of Carmine

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The chocolate of Modica

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

The Maiolica of the staircase

A Nobel Prize in Modica

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

The theatre of taste

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

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

Searching for colour

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Some prestigious works

The interior and its masterpieces

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

A hall for the feasts

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A feast only for Scicli

Norman apses

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

New roads for Catania

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

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

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

A city in colour

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The wall comes to life

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A talking palace

A triumph of colour

A prominent church

The internal colours

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

A symbol for the town

Between white and black

Some masterpieces

The Baroque town by the sea

The Staircase of Angels

Many owners, one palace

Wonderful quick decorations

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The two churches

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Burgos crucifix

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The disastrous earthquake

A new site for a new city

A colourful floor

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

One city, three sites

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A museum to save a tradition

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

One city, two sites

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

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

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

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

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

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Feast days

The colours of the cathedral

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

From International Gothic to present day

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A miniature city

A half-Baroque church

A majestic and luminous church

The city of museums

Two illustrious patron saints

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Prominent façade

A square as the heart of the city

Discovering the mother church

A new site for a new church

A small room with a golden entrance

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci