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.

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

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

Many owners, one palace

A museum to save a tradition

A city in colour

A hall for the feasts

A symbol for the town

From International Gothic to present day

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A long reconstruction

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A majestic and luminous church

The city of museums

A small room with a golden entrance

Some prestigious works

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

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

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

Feast days

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A prominent church

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

The theatre of taste

Feasting in Palazzolo

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The Maiolica of the staircase

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The chocolate of Modica

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

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Prominent façade

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

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

Some masterpieces

The Staircase of Angels

New roads for Catania

Between white and black

A triumph of colour

The disastrous earthquake

The internal colours

A talking palace

A colourful floor

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

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

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A new site for a new church

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A square as the heart of the city

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The Burgos crucifix

Wonderful quick decorations

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A feast only for Scicli

One city, two sites

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

The façade used as a puppet theatre

An eagle-shaped city

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Searching for colour

One city, three sites

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

Discovering the mother church

A new site for a new city

Norman apses

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The church of Carmine

A half-Baroque church

The Baroque town by the sea

A miniature city

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The wall comes to life

The interior and its masterpieces

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Two illustrious patron saints

The two churches

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The colours of the cathedral

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

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

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom