Today is the feast day of the Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Peter, of course, is the protector of Rome (and popes too). But importantly (For my family especially, since my father is named Peter and I come from a long line of fishermen), he is the patron saint of net-makers, shipbuilders, and fishermen, and…
Tag: val di noto
Noto Infiorata Online
Although it’s not taking place as usual, the Infiorata di Noto *will* happen this weekend, yet online. Follow the events on the Facebook Page of il Comune di Noto (https://www.facebook.com/comunedinoto), where there are videos and photos of the vibrant “carpets” created with flowers and other natural elements in recognition of spring, and more significantly, life…
Noto’s Baroque Cathedral
Noto’s cathedral (La Chiesa Madre di San Nicolò) was completed in 1776 when the city was rebuilt following the devastating earthquakes of 1693. The Sicilian Baroque church sits at the center of a theatrical urban plan that is known as a “stone garden” for its use of local white rock and its elegant symmetry.
Sicily Shook On January 11, 1693
After a magnitude (hypothetical) 6.2 foreshock on January 9, 1693, at 9PM on January 11, 1693 the earth shook in southeastern Sicily for what historians say was four minutes. Etna erupted, and a tsunami struck the Ionian coasts of eastern Sicily and the Strait of Messina. We don’t know the exact scope of the earthquake’s…
From the Stone Garden
The Parrocchia San Sebastiano in Palazzolo Acreide, Sicily offers a classic example of the elegant, UNESCO recognized architectural design of the “Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto.” Palazzolo Acreide is one of the towns that make up the UNESCO site. The town was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693 that flattened much of…
Gliding Above Ragusa Ibla
Panorama of Ragusa Ibla, Sicily Grazie to my cousin Giulia for putting up with my unwavering desire to find the exact place to capture this shot!
Ragusa’s Duomo
The Duomo di San Giorgio in Ragusa was built in the 18th century in the late baroque Sicilian style, following the historic earthquake of 1693. We’ll visit Ragusa, one of the UNESCO towns that is part of the Sicilian Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto, on Day 2 of our Sept. 2018 Stirring…
Sunset Pairing
Today, during our private family heritage tour, it was a day of food and wine. A hands-on cooking class in the morning, then a winery tour and tasting with dinner pairing this evening. The wines were so varied and complex… A straight Nero d’Avola that was smokey with cherry overtones; a fruity Grillo, and a…
Go Baroque in Modica
Baroque architectural detail, photographed in Modica
San Bartolomeo Church in Scicli
For some reason, today I have Scicli on my mind. When I think of Scicli, I think of San Bartolomeo Church. Here’s a revisit to a past post, with a new photo. A pearl set in the midst of an ancient gorge, San Bartolomeo Church in Scicli is a sublime example of Sicilian late Baroque….