Catania

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The work of the Benedictines not only followed religious and charitable commitments, but scientific undertakings, too. The monastery’s first collection of books was probably created at its foundation and used exclusively by the monks. The monks also followed strict Benedictine rule through the study of literature and science.
They established relations with the city’s cultural institutions and acquired important collections over the centuries.
There were around 24,000 volumes of rare, ancient and modern manuscripts and parchments; the monks were great connoisseurs and disseminators of ancient knowledge. After the eruption of 1669 and the earthquake of 1693 the monastery suffered great losses but the monks managed to save part of the collection, which they kept until the library was rebuilt.
The construction of the library’s new main hall was entrusted to Vaccarini, who designed it with typical elements from late Baroque art.
In fact, the giant central plan hall, the “Sala Vaccarini” (Vaccarini Hall), is an important room covered almost completely by wooden bookshelves in order that nearly reach the decorated vault, placed between the round windows that illuminate the room.
In addition to the hall there were five other sumptuous rooms used for the Benedictine Museum and designed to closely match the library. Today the former museum rooms are home to the library’s reference and reading rooms.

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Discovering the mother church

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A colourful floor

Between white and black

A symbol for the town

Feast days

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A triumph of colour

The theatre of taste

One city, two sites

A half-Baroque church

One city, three sites

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The Baroque town by the sea

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A feast only for Scicli

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

A museum to save a tradition

The disastrous earthquake

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

New roads for Catania

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

The colours of the cathedral

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

Prominent façade

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

The wall comes to life

The interior and its masterpieces

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A new site for a new church

A square as the heart of the city

A new site for a new city

The city of museums

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

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

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A majestic and luminous church

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

Many owners, one palace

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

From International Gothic to present day

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

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The chocolate of Modica

A talking palace

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

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Wonderful quick decorations

The Staircase of Angels

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A city in colour

Two illustrious patron saints

The church of Carmine

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The Maiolica of the staircase

A hall for the feasts

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

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

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

A prominent church

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Searching for colour

A miniature city

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A small room with a golden entrance

The internal colours

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The Burgos crucifix

Feasting in Palazzolo

Some masterpieces

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

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Some prestigious works

A long reconstruction

The two churches

Norman apses

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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