Friday, June 16, 2017

Noto, Sicily. . . . . . . .


May 10, 2017 - Port of Pozzallo, Sicily.

Some photos from Noto which, quite simply, is the apotheosis of Baroque
 town planning and architecture. Completely destroyed in the terrible1693
 earthquake, it was rebuilt from scratch on a new site about 10km from the old city.
A picturesque city, it is located on the terraced slopes of Mount Iblei among
 olive groves and almond trees. One can spy carved brilliance around its
baked pale vanilla walls, and on almost every corner stands a beautiful
church.


The idea was to create a linear, perfectly proportioned urban center whose parallel
lines would provide myriad panoramas. The town was divided into three parts by
 three roads running from east to west, thus ensuring the constant attention of
the sun. At the top lived the nobility, in the middle the clergy, and at the bottom the 
"hoi polloi" - the ordinary people.
The main building material used was local compact limestone, a substance that 
seemingly absorbs the sun's rays and transforms them into a soft golden-honeyed
glow. The effect is quite breathtaking.












 Tourist activity in Noto is simply to wander around the beautiful narrow streets, 
admiring the golden-colored stone buildings, lovely facades and
 balconies. . . . . .perhaps throw in a little window shopping, then
find a shady spot for a coffee, a pizza, or my favorite. . . . . . . 
a bowl of delicious gelato!







12 comments:

  1. Oh those beautiful creamy buildings, how utterly gorgeous Mary. And I love a gelato too...

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  2. I learned two new words here today in addition to all the beauty of this remarkable place. I'd love to visit there IF I didn't have to travel. I have never used the term "hoi polloi" and I was surprised to learn it means the exact opposite of what I had presumed it to mean. Of course, you know the other word I learned. 😉

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  3. Dear Mary - I haven't been to Noto, but it looks like my kind of place - lots of interesting architectural details to see and admire. My next post is also showing a baroque city, and the similarities are marked.
    We both seem to share a habit of viewing upwards beneath balconies but they are so enticing in that part of the world.
    I smiled a Vee's comment - do you think that the term 'hoi polloi' tends to be used in the UK rather than universally? I looked it up on wiki and was surprised to learn that the expression came from ancient Greeks meaning the many or majority, but was corrupted in English by giving it a negative connotation.

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  4. Oh, Mary, those images are stunning and capture Italy and it's culture so well. I'm doing a series on Italy and would love for you to do a guest post for me, you could report this entire blog post of your's if you like or choose anywhere else in the country. I would so appreciate it !!!

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  5. Dear Mary, How lovely Noto's streets look in your photos. And I love the phrase you used, "pale baked vanilla walls" - a wonderful combination of words. The intricate balconies are works of art in themselves.

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  6. Dear Mary, If these photographs don't give us the wanderlust, I don't know what will. Scenes and images so beautifully captured by you.

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  7. A fascinating rebuild! Such gorgeous photos of a beautiful city!

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  8. Yes, it is breathtaking! Just beautiful!

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  9. Lovely, graceful architecture. The limestone is wonderful, and the blue shutters and flower-filled balconies are perfection. Thank you for sharing, Mary. xo

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  10. These photos really are incredible, as is the description of Noto. OK, gotta add this to my bucket list of places to visit. I so loved looking at these and reading all about it. That sun drenched limestone really does have such a dazzling affect. Incredible, Mary!

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  11. I think the 9th photo down is my favourite here, but all of them are stunning!

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