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.

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A square as the heart of the city

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

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The Baroque town by the sea

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The chocolate of Modica

Many owners, one palace

Some prestigious works

Wonderful quick decorations

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

A new site for a new city

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Searching for colour

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A talking palace

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

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

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

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

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

Between white and black

A long reconstruction

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

The colours of the cathedral

A small room with a golden entrance

A new site for a new church

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The city of museums

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The Maiolica of the staircase

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The Staircase of Angels

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Some masterpieces

Norman apses

The interior and its masterpieces

The façade used as a puppet theatre

One city, two sites

Discovering the mother church

Limestone, the colour of harmony

St. Sebastian, so much work!

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

The disastrous earthquake

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Two illustrious patron saints

One city, three sites

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Feast days

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Prominent façade

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

A majestic and luminous church

A triumph of colour

A colourful floor

The church of Carmine

A miniature city

The theatre of taste

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

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A prominent church

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

The wall comes to life

Feasting in Palazzolo

A feast only for Scicli

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

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

A symbol for the town

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A hall for the feasts

The Burgos crucifix

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The internal colours

From International Gothic to present day

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A half-Baroque church

A museum to save a tradition

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

New roads for Catania

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The two churches

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A city in colour