Noto

The senses tell the Church of San Domenico

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White limestone

The church of San Domenico, like most of the late Baroque architecture of Noto built after the earthquake of 1693, is made of limestone, which gives it great chromatic homogeneity. The white stone is tinged with warm hues at sunset, offering a spectacle of unique beauty.

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A place of silence: the crypt of the Dominican friars

The crypt of the church of San Domenico is where the Dominican friars were taken when they died.
This is one of the main places of silence in the church, a small space characterised by few elements such as an altar and closed arcades.
It is interesting to note the stark contrast between the bare and essential architectural structure of the crypt and the grandeur of the church’s spaces.

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The colourful scenographic elements

The interior of the church of San Domenico is characterised by an entirely white environment, with very high walls decorated with bright stuccoes that give the setting a solemn and scenic appearance.
However, there are some elements that stand out from all the whiteness, including the majestic main altar and the gilded wooden ciborium made by Antonio Basile.
The former is embellished with red and white marble and the latter, made with a wonderful curvilinear structure, encloses the Virgin and Child.

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Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

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Reconstruction after the earthquake

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Expansion, spatiality and light in the church of San Domenico

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The casket of austerity under the great dome

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The Monastery of the Benedictine nuns

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The Franciscan convent

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A stone garden

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The Monte delle Prestanze in the new city layout

Baroque and the loss of balance in the 16th century

The works in the church

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The illusion of light and the decorative splendour

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Altars, saints and sculptural works

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A compromise between Neoclassicism and Baroque

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One city, three sites

The Benedictines’ library

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The Antonino Uccello Birthplace Museum

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Views denied, views conquered: the power of the devout Benedictines

The Church of St. Benedict

City and nature

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Luminous sacred spaces

The Duomo di San Giorgio (Cathedral of St. George)

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A casket of precious works

The senses tell the Church of San Domenico

San Domenico and Gagliardi’s work