Fountain of Hercules - Noto, Sicily - Baroque Art among the Palms

The historic Fountain of Hercules stands among palms in Noto's Villetta d'Ercole, with the magnificent Baroque Church of San Domenico rising behind it.

The Fountain of Hercules stands at the centre of the Villetta d'Ercole in Noto, surrounded by palms and greenery with the ornate Church of San Domenico rising immediately behind it. This attractive corner of Piazza XVI Maggio brings together a historic garden, an elaborate 18th-century fountain and one of the finest Baroque churches in the city. The Fontana d'Ercole was created in 1756 by the Catanese sculptor Orlando and depicts Hercules resting after killing the Nemean Lion. Its sculptural group includes the mythological hero together with putti and tritons carved in white Carrara marble. Behind the fountain, the Church of San Domenico was designed by the celebrated Sicilian architect Rosario Gagliardi and constructed between 1703 and 1727 for the Dominican order. Its richly modelled façade is an outstanding expression of the Late Baroque architecture that developed during Noto's reconstruction following the earthquake of 1693. Together, the fountain, garden and church create one of the most picturesque architectural ensembles along Noto's historic Corso Vittorio Emanuele.