Santa Chiara Church, Noto, Italy

The church of Santa Chiara is located in Corso Vittorio Emanuele, next to the former Benedictine monastery of the Holy Crucifix.The church was designed by Rosario Gagliardi around 1730, it was completed in 1758 and later annexed to the monastery belonged the Benedictine nuns (which is now a museum).

It represents an important example of baroque architecture.The façade of the church was originally located in Corso Vittorio Emanuele. It had a portal surmounted by a broken vault, while at the centre there was a window with a large circular gable decorated with battlements. In the 19th century, as a result of previous excavation works, the church’s entrance turned to be above the street level, which practically obstructed the access to the worship place. The same thing happened to the portal of the monastery (now walled but easily detectable by lavish baroque battlements and pyramidal pinnacles which are still visible).The current façade, located in via Capponi, has the main entrance located on a small staircase.

Among the many artworks inside the church, there is an altarpiece depicting Santa Chiara, San Benedetto and Santa Scolastica, made by Salvatore Lo Forte in 1854 and a 16th century marble-made sculpture of the Virgin and the Child, attributed to Antonello Gagin.

References:

cosmoibleo.com

Religious sites in Italy

User Reviews

andivonh (5 years ago)
great view over the city, this was my favorite spot in town.

Marko Cvetkovic (5 years ago)
Inside nothing special. You can go on top for 2 EUR, go get an average view on city but mostly the new part.

Dan M (5 years ago)
A Beautiful Church, but not as much as I expected Why? because unfortunately, on the many reviews I had read here and on other sites, most of the pictures are actually those of Notto's Cathedral with its wide facade and many stairs, or of Chiesa di San Domenico with the adjoining garden and Fontana d'Ercole. So, yes, this Church is beautiful, much more inside with its white baroque style, than outside, but again don't expect too much of it as it is somehow less beautiful then Notto's cathedral.

Harry Webster (6 years ago)
2 euro’s to enter, lovely little church but the real treat is the panoramic views of the areas surrounding Noto and Noto Cathedral. Worth spending some time in the church and soaking up the area.

Moplop (6 years ago)
2 euro for the tower. Superb view on the cathedral.

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