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| Cathedral square |
We have a huge earthquake in 1693 to thank for this remarkable Baroque city in southeastern Sicily. The original town of 12,000was rebuilt a few miles nearer the sea. A master plan, probably by the Jesuit Fra Angelo Italia (1628-1701) had a gridlike layout filled with squares, churches and public buildings . It has been suggested he based it on Scamozzi's ideal city published in 1615. Very impressive it may have looked but the local population were not all happy. An important local figure Giovanni Battasta Landolini was the crucial arbiter in the replanning. In spite of the Baroque magnificence there were hidden slums, and no trees planted for shade to spoil the vistas. However the local pale golden yellow stone used throughout is undoubtedly very beautiful. Soft enough to permit carving it hardly requires any decoration.
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| Facade |
The grid plan focuses on the Cathedral square and it is here the Cathedral of San Nicolo was built 1693-1770.The architect is unknown. It was one of the last churches in Noto to be built. French influence was strong in Sicily and our Cathedral facade bears the influence of Jules Hardouin-Mansart's Notre Dame Church at Versailles.
A little video introduction
Earthquakes continue to dog this part of the world and the dome had to be remodelled twice in the 19th century. In the 1950s a lot more work was undertaken including trompe l'oeil on ceilings, and a replacement of the nave roof by heavy Roman bricks and concrete. In March 1996 a great part of the building collapsed : four pillars on the south side of the nave, one supporting the dome, all the roof and vault of the nave, most of the drum and dome and part of the south transept. The repair work of previous centuries was blamed.
In June 2007 the Cathedral reopened. Interior works have continued. In 2011 a new high altar, lecturn, organ, crucifix and dome frescos by Russian Oleg Superego. The interior is simply painted white. This is my memory of the interior back in summer 2002 when I visited.
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| Dome today |
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| Nave |
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