As you travel between Modica, Scicli, and Ragusa in south eastern Sicily, take note of the wheat fields and the long, man-made stone walls.
Tag: scicli
The Green Man in Scicli
Baroque face on balcony support, Scicli.
Away in a Manger
Throughout Sicily, building and viewing presepe, or the nativity scene, is a Christmas tradition. From table top diorama-sized statues, like this one pictured from Chiesa di San Bartolomeo in Scicli, to performances featuring actors and live animals that can be found in towns like Sutera, Gangi, and Termini Imerese, to name just a few, displaying…
Baroque in Scicli
Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “The Late Baroque Towns of Val di Noto,” the town of Scicli boasts breathtaking Baroque architecture from the 17th century.
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Festa dell’Immacolata or the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated throughout Italy on December 8. The day recognizes that the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, was conceived without original sin–something with which, in Catholic dogma, every person is considered to have been born. In Sicily, on December 7th and 8th, there are many…
Lady in Red
Baroness’ dress, photographed in Scicli… I’m not sure from what era this dress is, but I am going to guess it’s from the 1700s (and that it’s a copy).
Balcony in Scicli
Balcony of Palazzo Porcelli-Battaglia-Veneziano-Sgarlata, Scicli (18th Century); From the Val di Noto, Sicily late Baroque Towns UNESCO World Heritage site.
Cave In
On the way between Scicli and Modica you’ll find deep valleys flanked by steep stone cliffs. Among those cliffs, you’ll find caves carved into the rock. During times of bandits and foreign invasions, cave dwelling in southeastern Sicily was common, and as more modern construction techniques entered the scene, the cave became part of one’s…
A Lady in the Rough
A pearl set in the midst of an ancient gorge, San Bartolomeo Church in Scicli is a sublime example of Sicilian late Baroque. The church’s dome sits proudly like an elegantly dressed woman donned for the ball in the midst of rugged cliffs and antique homes carved out of caves. Realized by Syracusean architect Salvatore…
Another Flower in the Stone Garden
The off-the-beaten-path town of Scicli is a jewel among the “Stone Garden,” Baroque, UNESCO-designated-area of south-eastern Sicily. Like Modica, Ragusa, and Noto, Scicli suffered from the great earthquake of 1693 and much of it was rebuilt in the following century in the Sicilian Baroque style. (Photo Credit: Experience Sicily’s Filippo Buttitta)