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.

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

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

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A triumph of colour

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

A colourful floor

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

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A symbol for the town

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The internal colours

A half-Baroque church

A long reconstruction

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

One city, two sites

From International Gothic to present day

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

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

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

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Two illustrious patron saints

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

Prominent façade

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

A museum to save a tradition

The colours of the cathedral

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The Maiolica of the staircase

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

Between white and black

A new site for a new city

A talking palace

Searching for colour

The disastrous earthquake

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Feast days

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Some prestigious works

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The church of Carmine

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

A Nobel Prize in Modica

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Feasting in Palazzolo

An eagle-shaped city

One city, three sites

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A majestic and luminous church

A city in colour

Many owners, one palace

A hall for the feasts

A small room with a golden entrance

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

A miniature city

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A new site for a new church

The Burgos crucifix

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Norman apses

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

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

The interior and its masterpieces

A feast only for Scicli

The city of museums

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The Baroque town by the sea

The wall comes to life

The chocolate of Modica

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A square as the heart of the city

A prominent church

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Wonderful quick decorations

The Staircase of Angels

New roads for Catania

The two churches

Discovering the mother church

Some masterpieces

The theatre of taste

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe