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.

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

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

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

Between white and black

The Maiolica of the staircase

A city in colour

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A majestic and luminous church

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

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The Burgos crucifix

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The internal colours

A hall for the feasts

The Baroque town by the sea

From International Gothic to present day

A new site for a new city

A feast only for Scicli

A small room with a golden entrance

Some prestigious works

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Norman apses

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A miniature city

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

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

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

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The colours of the cathedral

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A triumph of colour

The disastrous earthquake

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The city of museums

One city, three sites

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

Searching for colour

One city, two sites

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The interior and its masterpieces

Wonderful quick decorations

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The church of Carmine

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A long reconstruction

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A prominent church

New roads for Catania

An eagle-shaped city

A museum to save a tradition

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

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

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

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

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A colourful floor

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

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Some masterpieces

Many owners, one palace

Prominent façade

The theatre of taste

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The Staircase of Angels

The wall comes to life

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The two churches

Discovering the mother church

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A symbol for the town

Feasting in Palazzolo

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A half-Baroque church

A talking palace

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A square as the heart of the city

A new site for a new church

Two illustrious patron saints

The chocolate of Modica

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

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

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Feast days