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

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A colourful floor

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

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A triumph of colour

Some masterpieces

Some prestigious works

Feast days

A majestic and luminous church

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The disastrous earthquake

The church of Carmine

Searching for colour

Discovering the mother church

Prominent façade

The theatre of taste

The two churches

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

The interior and its masterpieces

The colours of the cathedral

One city, three sites

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

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

A long reconstruction

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

A new site for a new church

A square as the heart of the city

The Burgos crucifix

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The city of museums

New roads for Catania

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

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Between white and black

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

A prominent church

A hall for the feasts

Norman apses

A small room with a golden entrance

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Feasting in Palazzolo

The wall comes to life

A symbol for the town

A miniature city

The chocolate of Modica

Two illustrious patron saints

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A new site for a new city

One city, two sites

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Staircase of Angels

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Wonderful quick decorations

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

The Baroque town by the sea

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A feast only for Scicli

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

From International Gothic to present day

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The Maiolica of the staircase

A museum to save a tradition

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

An eagle-shaped city

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The internal colours

A city in colour

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A half-Baroque church

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A talking palace

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Many owners, one palace

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

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

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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