Caltagirone

The Maiolica of the staircase

foto dal basso verso alto scalinata
In 1956, the staircase was enriched and embellished with a colourful maiolica covering. The idea was to celebrate the thousand-year-old tradition of Sicilian maiolica makers. For this reason, Professor Antonino Ragona, head of the project, chose to reproduce maiolica designs from the 10th-20th century.
The steps were covered from top to bottom. The maiolica tiles were inserted in chronological order, from the earliest century to present day. The first two steps commemorate Antonio Ragona and those who created the decorations (Gesualdo Aqueci, Francesco Ludice and Nicola Porcelli). The other 140 steps are divided into ten sections, one for each century starting from the 10th century. So as you climb the stairs, you are retracing the history of Caltagirone pottery from the antiquity until today.
foto Particolare targa primi due gradini foto Particolare targa primi due gradini
The maiolica tiles are a triumph of yellow, turquoise and green. One after another, geometrical decorations, human and floral figures alternate and portray the characteristic maiolica styles of Arabic, Norman, Suevian, Angevin-Aragonese, Chiaramontano, Spanish, Renaissance, Baroque, 18th century, 19th century and contemporary production.
foto Dettagli maioliche diverse

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

A feast only for Scicli

The two churches

A triumph of colour

Modica, a city with ancient origins

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

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Two illustrious patron saints

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The wall comes to life

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A prominent church

The Staircase of Angels

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The Maiolica of the staircase

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

Some masterpieces

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Feast days

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A hall for the feasts

A majestic and luminous church

Between white and black

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The church of Carmine

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The theatre of taste

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A city in colour

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Wonderful quick decorations

Some prestigious works

One city, two sites

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A new site for a new church

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

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A miniature city

The Baroque town by the sea

Feasting in Palazzolo

A new site for a new city

The internal colours

Discovering the mother church

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A long reconstruction

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

New roads for Catania

A talking palace

The colours of the cathedral

A museum to save a tradition

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A square as the heart of the city

A small room with a golden entrance

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

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

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Norman apses

Searching for colour

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

St. Sebastian, so much work!

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

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The disastrous earthquake

The chocolate of Modica

The city of museums

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A half-Baroque church

A Nobel Prize in Modica

One city, three sites

Many owners, one palace

Prominent façade

A symbol for the town

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The interior and its masterpieces

A colourful floor

From International Gothic to present day

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

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

The Burgos crucifix