Ragusa

One city, two sites

The town of Ragusa Ibla is built across three different hilly areas separated by a deep valley.
The town is the union of Ibla and Ragusa: Ibla was founded by the Sicels, before the birth of Christ. Ragusa, on the other hand, has much less ancient origins and is linked to the tragic earthquake.foto città nel complesso Following the earthquake, when deciding where to rebuild the town, no agreement could be reached.
The population was divided into two factions: the sangiorgiari suggested the old site; the sangiovannari sought to rebuild it elsewhere.
The former were aristocrats of very old lineage who lived in the parish of San Giorgio (St. George); the Sangiovannari, on the other hand, who lived outside the walls in the district of San Giovanni (St. John), were made up of the poor and the nouveau riche. Neither side wanted to give in, so two independent towns were built. foto IblaIbla was rebuilt on a lower hill than Ragusa and the old road layout was maintained.
Ragusa was planned perfectly with a system of roads that crossed at right angles.
Though rebuilt independently and autonomously from one another, Ragusa and Ibla share the style of Baroque art.
Over time the clear division was lost and the inhabitants began to live in the intermediate space, but it was not until 1926 that Ibla and Ragusa were reunited.foto ragusa

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

The Baroque town by the sea

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

Some masterpieces

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

One city, three sites

A new site for a new church

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A triumph of colour

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

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

A city in colour

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

A colourful floor

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Between white and black

Searching for colour

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The wall comes to life

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The façade used as a puppet theatre

From International Gothic to present day

Feasting in Palazzolo

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

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

A miniature city

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

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The Maiolica of the staircase

A symbol for the town

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A prominent church

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A feast only for Scicli

The city of museums

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A talking palace

A museum to save a tradition

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The disastrous earthquake

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Two illustrious patron saints

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A long reconstruction

A majestic and luminous church

Norman apses

Many owners, one palace

The interior and its masterpieces

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The theatre of taste

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Prominent façade

A small room with a golden entrance

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

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

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The church of Carmine

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A new site for a new city

One city, two sites

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

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

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A square as the heart of the city

A hall for the feasts

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The two churches

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A half-Baroque church

An eagle-shaped city

Some prestigious works

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The colours of the cathedral

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The chocolate of Modica

Discovering the mother church

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

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Feast days

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The Burgos crucifix

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The Staircase of Angels

The internal colours

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

New roads for Catania

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Wonderful quick decorations