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

Feasting in Palazzolo

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

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A triumph of colour

Some prestigious works

A museum to save a tradition

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A miniature city

A feast only for Scicli

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Feast days

The disastrous earthquake

The Burgos crucifix

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

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

The church of Carmine

Two illustrious patron saints

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The colours of the cathedral

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A long reconstruction

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The chocolate of Modica

An eagle-shaped city

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A square as the heart of the city

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

New roads for Catania

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

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A hall for the feasts

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

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The façade used as a puppet theatre

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

Some masterpieces

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The wall comes to life

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A prominent church

Norman apses

The theatre of taste

A half-Baroque church

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A majestic and luminous church

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

From International Gothic to present day

A new site for a new city

One city, two sites

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The Staircase of Angels

The city of museums

A colourful floor

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

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

One city, three sites

Wonderful quick decorations

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A small room with a golden entrance

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Between white and black

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The two churches

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A city in colour

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

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Discovering the mother church

The interior and its masterpieces

The internal colours

The Maiolica of the staircase

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Connections with other UNESCO sites

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

Many owners, one palace

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A talking palace

Prominent façade

The Baroque town by the sea

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

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

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A new site for a new church

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

Searching for colour

A symbol for the town