In the province of Syracuse, but an easy journey from Marina di Ragusa, Noto is totally rebuilt in a different site from the original. The heart of the city is the Piazza del Municipio where the municipal building and the Cathedral face each other: the exploitation of the slope and the monumental scale of the buildings create one of the most spectacular squares in Italy. The municipal building was built in 1746 as a very rare type in Sicily. The Duomo, with its large façade, is dedicated to Saints Nicola and Corrado. Whether the anonymous designer visited France or not, it is certain that the model refers to the church of Notre Dame of Versailles.

Also worth visiting is the convent of the SS. Savior, sitting between two squares, for the variety of formal solutions is one of the greatest masterpieces of the Baroque age in Sicily. The Civic Museum is housed in the convent with an important archaeological section. Arriving at Piazza XVI Maggio, there is the villa of Ercole and the Teatro Comunale, the church of San Domenico is also visible with remarkable works of art including 18th-century furniture and a 17th-century washbasin.

The list of the buildings and churches of Noto could continue almost indefinitely, as it is considered the capital of the Sicilian Baroque and is home to dozens upon dozens of civil and religious buildings in which to visit. We can conclude by saying that the town is a UNESCO heritage and has been the setting for numerous films, including the infamous television series of Inspector Montalbano.

Texts and images are the property of biancoeblu.com, copying and reproduction in any form are strictly forbidden.