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.

A triumph of colour

A museum to save a tradition

A new site for a new church

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

Prominent façade

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The wall comes to life

Limestone, the colour of harmony

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The chocolate of Modica

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

A symbol for the town

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Wonderful quick decorations

Norman apses

Many owners, one palace

A colourful floor

The theatre of taste

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Feasting in Palazzolo

A new site for a new city

The Staircase of Angels

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Two illustrious patron saints

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

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Searching for colour

The Burgos crucifix

A miniature city

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

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

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

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

One city, two sites

The city of museums

A square as the heart of the city

A hall for the feasts

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Discovering the mother church

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

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

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

One city, three sites

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A prominent church

A majestic and luminous church

A half-Baroque church

A small room with a golden entrance

The interior and its masterpieces

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The two churches

Some prestigious works

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

A city in colour

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The Maiolica of the staircase

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

The church of Carmine

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The internal colours

An eagle-shaped city

The disastrous earthquake

A feast only for Scicli

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

A talking palace

Between white and black

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The Baroque town by the sea

The colours of the cathedral

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

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

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

From International Gothic to present day

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

New roads for Catania

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Some masterpieces

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Feast days

A long reconstruction

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction