Noto

In Siracusa county, at 32 km. from the last, with approximately 23.000 inhabitants, 152m. a.s.l.
The original city in its full flourishing was destroyed by 1693 earthquake, as most of the towns in East Sicily. Then the Duke Giuseppe Lanza of Camastra, that had been charged with the reconstruction of the settlements in Noto's Valley, decided to re-build the town in a different site, 8km. downhill, on the slope of Mount Meti, and that one is the town we see today. As Catania and Ragusa, Noto as well would have a plant based on an orthogonal grid, made of a main axis along which open three scenographic squares, two secondary parallel ones and several smaller side streets. On this plant during all the XVIII century lined up the work of numerous architects, sculptors and stonecutters, the beautiful Baroque buildings, all made of the same light golden limestone, that today make of Noto a unique and charming place.
The main road is Corso Vittorio Emanuele, starting from the Royal Gate (Porta Regia), built in 1838 in honour of Ferdinando I of Borbone. Along this axis open three squares overlooked by the most important buildings, churches and palaces.
Starting from Porta Regia you find quite soon a first widening and at your right the beautiful complex made of the Church of St. Francis or of the Immaculate at the top of a high flight of steps, (at the moment, June 2009, under restoration), and of the monastery of the Most Holy Saviour. This one has a façade, with two orders of pilasters and wide windows with wrought iron grates, terminating in a mostly original tower with a pyramid-shaped cusp.
Immediately afterwards along the main road you find Piazza del Municipio (Town Hall square), at your left Palazzo Ducezio, today the Town Hall, a huge late Baroque building, altered in 1951 by the addition of a superior floor. On the right end side starts the magnificent flight of steps leading to the Cathedral, this was completed in the last quarter of XVIII century and has a two orders façade flanked by two bell towers.
The beautiful dome had a very turbulent life: completed in 1776, collapsed the first time in 1780, was re-built and collapsed again in 1848, was then reconstructed and an apse was added in1861. At the middle of XX century the was an intervention of re-building of the nave roof in bricks and concrete which, increasing the weight, probably contributed to the final ruin which ended in the collapse both of the dome and of a big portion of the roof in 1996. An accurate and scientific restoration completed in June 2007 made it usable again.
Left of the Cathedral the Bishopric and Nicolaci Palace, this one along the homonymous street which is concluded uphill by the concave façade of Montevergini church.
At the end of the square left side opens the elegant concave façade of St. Charles Borromeo church, attached to the huge mass of the ex-Jesuits college. The church has a beautiful interior with one nave and lateral chapels, a luminous vaulted roofing with lunettes where wide windows open. It is possible to go up to the roof, and it is worthy while because from there you have a wide panoramic view if the town.
Continuing along the main street you reach the third square, Piazza XXIV Maggio, flanked on the left by the Town Theatre, whilst on the left against the background of small garden you see the convex façade of St. Domenico, by architect Rosario Gagliardi, one of the most beautiful examples of Baroque architecture of this area; also the interior is interesting, with central plant and five domes.
But besides the doubtless interest of many buildings, the most attractive thing is the atmosphere of this town in a beautiful day when the sun enhances the richness of the architecture and of the sculpted decorations, and the incomparable beauty of the honey coloured limestone melting monuments and ordinary buildings in a harmonious and homogeneous whole.