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.

Between white and black

One city, three sites

A small room with a golden entrance

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

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A long reconstruction

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The interior and its masterpieces

The church of Carmine

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

The two churches

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The wall comes to life

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

The disastrous earthquake

The theatre of taste

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A square as the heart of the city

A new site for a new city

A symbol for the town

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A colourful floor

A talking palace

A hall for the feasts

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

Norman apses

A half-Baroque church

Some masterpieces

A triumph of colour

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

A museum to save a tradition

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Feasting in Palazzolo

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

New roads for Catania

A prominent church

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Wonderful quick decorations

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The city of museums

The colours of the cathedral

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A city in colour

Some prestigious works

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The Burgos crucifix

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

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

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Prominent façade

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A majestic and luminous church

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Many owners, one palace

The Staircase of Angels

The internal colours

One city, two sites

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The Baroque town by the sea

The chocolate of Modica

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Two illustrious patron saints

An eagle-shaped city

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

The Maiolica of the staircase

From International Gothic to present day

Searching for colour

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

Feast days

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A new site for a new church

A feast only for Scicli

Discovering the mother church

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A miniature city