Ragusa

Two illustrious patron saints

foto statua san giorgioThe fact that Ragusa was divided meant that each city had its own patron saint . But when they were reunited, abolishing one of the saints was unthinkable. So in Ragusa Ibla, St. George is celebrated on the 23rd of April, and St. John on the 29th of August.
Two feasts with no one left out! All citizens actively take part in the events.
St. George is one of the world’s most famous and revered saints. He is the patron saint of England and Portugal, and even a crater on the moon has been named after him. Unfortunately, the stories about St. George’s life and martyrdom are abundant and conflicting.
The most famous story tells of the slaying of a dragon to save a young girl.
foto statua san giovanni battistaIn Sicily, St. George has been worshipped since the 5th century, only becoming so renowned and important in the 11th century.
In 1063 the Norman army led by Robert Guiscard defeated the Arabs, and were led to victory with the help of St. George.
The 29th of August is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The saint lived in the desert, eating insects until he could undertake God’s mission. His task was to spread the word of God and erase sin through Baptism.
The saint was imprisoned in the dungeons then beheaded by order of Herod the Great.
The saint’s worship spread throughout the world very quickly.
A life of renunciation and penance made him an immediate role model.

The disastrous earthquake

A long reconstruction

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A square as the heart of the city

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

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

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A triumph of colour

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The Staircase of Angels

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

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

From International Gothic to present day

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A colourful floor

A new site for a new city

The theatre of taste

A hall for the feasts

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

A museum to save a tradition

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

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

Feasting in Palazzolo

Feast days

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

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The city of museums

The two churches

The chocolate of Modica

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

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A miniature city

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

The internal colours

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

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

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The interior and its masterpieces

A prominent church

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A new site for a new church

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A feast only for Scicli

Some masterpieces

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The Burgos crucifix

The church of Carmine

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A small room with a golden entrance

Many owners, one palace

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The colours of the cathedral

A symbol for the town

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Some prestigious works

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Searching for colour

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Maiolica of the staircase

A majestic and luminous church

Discovering the mother church

A city in colour

Prominent façade

Wonderful quick decorations

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The Baroque town by the sea

A talking palace

One city, two sites

Between white and black

New roads for Catania

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

One city, three sites

A half-Baroque church

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

The wall comes to life

An eagle-shaped city

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Norman apses

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

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

Two illustrious patron saints