Ragusa

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

sight
A valley for Palazzo La Rocca

The green valley overlooked by Palazzo La Rocca is a riot of colours that vary with the changing seasons.
From the strong bright colours of spring, it moves on to shades of yellow and ochre in summer due to the lack of rain. As it reaches the end of summer, the colours are reborn with autumn fruits, such as pomegranate and quince.
Finally, winter arrives, which by nature makes everything darker, grey and less luxuriant.

hearing
The noises of a bygone era

The corbels of Palazzo La Rocca are a memory from a bygone era, especially the balcony with the flute and tenor mandola players, which brings to mind the sweet melodies played at the great parties held at the Palazzo, one of the most important events for the aristocracy. Delicate sounds accompanied the balls and dances in the great hall!

smell
The smell of the stone

The entrance to Palazzo La Rocca is extremely evocative.
With a little imagination you can picture Don Saverio La Rocca climbing the pietra pece staircase at the entrance.
What makes the atrium unique, however, is the strong smell of petroleum that envelops the entire space. It’s hard to believe, but the stone’s composition gives the room a sharp scent that verges on unpleasant, though it is fascinating to think that nature was able to create such a strong-smelling stone.

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

Two illustrious patron saints

A triumph of colour

A new site for a new church

The theatre of taste

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The Baroque town by the sea

Discovering the mother church

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A new site for a new city

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A talking palace

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

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

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The interior and its masterpieces

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Feast days

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The Maiolica of the staircase

A hall for the feasts

The internal colours

A colourful floor

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

One city, three sites

Feasting in Palazzolo

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The disastrous earthquake

New roads for Catania

The Staircase of Angels

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

A square as the heart of the city

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Many owners, one palace

A miniature city

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The city of museums

A half-Baroque church

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A symbol for the town

Some prestigious works

From International Gothic to present day

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A museum to save a tradition

One city, two sites

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

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

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

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

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Norman apses

A majestic and luminous church

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Prominent façade

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Some masterpieces

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

A prominent church

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Between white and black

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Searching for colour

The wall comes to life

A long reconstruction

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The chocolate of Modica

The colours of the cathedral

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

A feast only for Scicli

A city in colour

Wonderful quick decorations

The church of Carmine

A small room with a golden entrance

The Burgos crucifix

The two churches

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

An eagle-shaped city

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

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph