Caltagirone

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

sight
Infinite colours for a single staircase

scala-infisorata-caltagironeWow!
The Staircase of St. Mary of the Mountain during the town’s most important feasts is an exciting sight.
In May the taircase becomes a colourful carpet of plants and flowers that perfume the air and together create a spectacular design dedicated to the Madonna dei Conadomini.
But it doesn’t stop here! To celebrate St. James and the Assumption of Mary into Heaven, 4000 tea lights are lit, one by one, to form a unique design on the staircase!
All the inhabitants take part and thousands of people meet at the foot of the staircase, all looking for the best viewpoint.

smell
The scent of the feasts

In addition to its colours and lights during the two most important feasts, the Staircase of St. Mary of the Mountain is also filled with various scents.
The smell of flowers accompanies the feast dedicated to the Madonna Conadomini, while burning wax is the typical aroma for the celebrations of St. James and the Assumption of the Virgin.
The flames of 140 tea lights illuminate the staircase until they go out, giving way to a slight burning smell.

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

A symbol for the town

A city in colour

One city, three sites

The disastrous earthquake

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

The chocolate of Modica

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The Baroque town by the sea

The Burgos crucifix

Wonderful quick decorations

Searching for colour

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

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

Feasting in Palazzolo

The Maiolica of the staircase

The Staircase of Angels

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A talking palace

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

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

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

Discovering the mother church

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

A half-Baroque church

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A prominent church

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Two illustrious patron saints

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Between white and black

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A miniature city

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The wall comes to life

A new site for a new city

The church of Carmine

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Prominent façade

A small room with a golden entrance

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

St. Sebastian, so much work!

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

A majestic and luminous church

The internal colours

Many owners, one palace

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A museum to save a tradition

Some prestigious works

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The city of museums

A colourful floor

A square as the heart of the city

Norman apses

Some masterpieces

The colours of the cathedral

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A new site for a new church

A feast only for Scicli

A triumph of colour

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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

A long reconstruction

From International Gothic to present day

The theatre of taste

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Feast days

New roads for Catania

A hall for the feasts

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

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

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

One city, two sites

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The two churches

The interior and its masterpieces

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras