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

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

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

Searching for colour

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A symbol for the town

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The church of Carmine

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

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The disastrous earthquake

The theatre of taste

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The Burgos crucifix

The internal colours

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Discovering the mother church

A city in colour

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

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

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The façade used as a puppet theatre

New roads for Catania

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The wall comes to life

One city, two sites

A triumph of colour

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

A new site for a new city

A new site for a new church

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A square as the heart of the city

Between white and black

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Some masterpieces

The two churches

A prominent church

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The chocolate of Modica

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

A miniature city

The Baroque town by the sea

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Some prestigious works

Feasting in Palazzolo

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Prominent façade

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

A talking palace

The Maiolica of the staircase

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

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A small room with a golden entrance

Modica, a city with ancient origins

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A colourful floor

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A feast only for Scicli

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Wonderful quick decorations

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

One city, three sites

The city of museums

A half-Baroque church

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A hall for the feasts

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Norman apses

The colours of the cathedral

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

The Staircase of Angels

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Many owners, one palace

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A majestic and luminous church

The interior and its masterpieces

Feast days

A museum to save a tradition

From International Gothic to present day

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Two illustrious patron saints

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

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

An eagle-shaped city

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo