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Val di Noto (lit. ' Province of Noto ' ) [ a ] is a historical and geographical area encompassing the south-eastern third of Sicily ; it is dominated by the limestone Hyblaean plateau . Historically, it was one of the three valli of Sicily .
Historical map of Sicily showing the three provinces or "valli." During the Muslim rule on Sicily, the island was divided into three different administrative regions: the Val di Noto in the southeast, the Val Demone in the northeast and the Val di Mazara in the west. [1]
Italy has 60 listed sites, making it the state party with the most World Heritage Sites, just above China . [ 3 ] [ 4 ] The first site in Italy, the Rock Drawings in Valcamonica , was listed at the 3rd Session of the World Heritage Committee , held in Cairo and Luxor, Egypt , in 1979. [ 5 ]
Parts of the island were re-occupied before revolts were quashed. Under the Arab rule the island was divided in three administrative regions, or "vals", roughly corresponding to the three "points" of Sicily: Val di Mazara in the west; Val Demone in the northeast; and Val di Noto in the southeast.
Noto (Sicilian: Notu; Latin: Netum) is a city and comune in the Province of Syracuse, Sicily, Italy. It is 32 kilometres (20 mi) southwest of the city of Syracuse at the foot of the Iblean Mountains. It lends its name to the surrounding area [3] Val di Noto. In 2002 Noto and its church were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [4]
The building features a Baroque style.The façade is characterized by a large portal flanked by two grand Ionic columns and topped by a balcony. On each side of the portal there are three smaller balconies, supported by large corbels, each sculpted differently with the appearances of lions, children, centaurs, winged horses, chimeras, and sirens.
The old site, which is now known as Noto Antica (formerly Noto Vecchio), is on the summit of a lofty hill about 14 km from the modern town and 20 km from the sea-coast: some remains of the ancient amphitheatre, and of a building called a gymnasium, are still visible, and a Greek inscription, which belongs to the time of Hieron II.
Inside, the Hall of Mirrors is noteworthy. This is an oval-shaped hall furnished with Louis XV-style furniture and large mirrors carved by Avoli artist Sebastiano Dugo. Adorning the ceiling of the hall is The Foundation of Neas, a neoclassical fresco by painter Antonio Mazza depicting the foundation of Noto by Sicilian leader Ducetius.