Take part in a city tour of Noto, whose historic center was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2002! Noto is known as the Capital of the Baroque for its architecture, completely rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake which destroyed the entire town.
Begin your experience from the city' s cathedral. The church is placed at the end of a three-flight staircase, which further enhances its beauty, while the limestone facade gives the structure an almost golden color. Access the cathedral from one of the three portals and admire the refined interiors; moreover, visiting the Cathedral Museum, you will discover the history of the building, from its construction to the earthquake, also learning about the reconstruction and the life of the saints, here represented through sacred art.
Then, head on visiting the Church of San Girolamo, which has a concave facade. Here too, two bell towers delimit the entrance that leads onto a staircase right in front of Via Nicolaci, from where you will have the best view of the church. The structure currently houses the Museum of Confraternities, dedicated to the confraternities of the city whose history is told through all the exhibits on display. From the staircase, you can admire, every third Sunday in May, the magnificent floral mosaics of the Infiorata festival.
Your tour of Noto continues with the Church of San Domenico, the building that best represents the Baroque style in the city. His architect decided to include all the typical elements of Sicilian Baroque, making this church a treasure of architecture not only in Noto, but in all of Sicily. In the mid-1900s, a crypt, which can still be visited, was discovered inside the church; it contains bone remains of the friars and several frescoes dating back to the 1600s. These finds survived the 1693 earthquake together with the church, which did not suffer any damage.
The Basilica of the Santissimo Salvatore was built starting from 1767 and its facade has a Neoclassical style. The internal decorations began instead in 1794 and represent the transition between the Baroque and Neoclassical styles. Attached to the Basilica is the Benedictine monastery, which housed the nobles' daughters who had to become cloistered nuns. Through particular windows with wrought iron grates, the so-called "jealousies", the nuns could see the life of the city.
Next to the Basilica of the Santissimo Salvatore, there is the bell tower, which can be climbed to admire the panorama. Before reaching it, you will pass through the choir, which allows you to see the Basilica from an unusual and unique point of view.
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