Baroque Church - Noto, Sicily - Rising above the Narrow Street

A historic Baroque church rises directly from one of Noto's narrow streets, its elevated entrance and carved limestone façade reflecting the city's distinctive architectural character.

A historic Baroque church rises above a narrow street in Noto, its elevated entrance reached by stone steps and framed by the pale limestone architecture characteristic of the Sicilian city. Seen from below, the tall façade, decorative portal and adjoining buildings demonstrate how Noto's churches form an integral part of its carefully planned historic streetscape. The present city was created following the catastrophic earthquake of 1693, which devastated the old settlement of Noto and many other communities across south-eastern Sicily. Rather than simply reconstructing the former town, Noto was rebuilt on a new site according to the architectural and urban ideals of the period. Churches, monasteries, palaces and houses were arranged along broad avenues and intersecting streets, creating the remarkable Late Baroque ensemble visible today. Noto is one of eight towns included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto, inscribed in 2002 as an outstanding example of the region's post-earthquake reconstruction.