Caltagirone: Ceramiche e Scala di Santa Maria del Monte
Caltagirone (UNESCO 2002, rif. 1024) è la capitale mondiale della ceramica siciliana — una città barocca ricostruita dopo il terremoto del 1693 CE sulle ceneri di una tradizione ceramica di 8.000 anni, con la Scala di Santa Maria del Monte (142 gradini di maiolica smaltata che variano per motivo a ogni gradino), e 30 botteghe artigiane concentrate in un centro storico che è esso stesso un museo a cielo aperto del barocco siciliano.
At a glance
Caltagirone ceramiche Scala (the most precisely Caltagirone zone Caltagirone Sicilia Italy 37.2292 N 14.5131 E UNESCO WHS 2002 reference 1024: the city (the city of Caltagirone is one of the 8 “Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto” inscribed by UNESCO in 2002 (reference 1024): the 8 towns: Caltagirone, Militello in Val di Catania, Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo Acreide, Ragusa, Scicli; the inscription criteria: (I) unique exchange of human values in 17th–18th century CE Baroque architecture; (II) outstanding example of late Baroque architecture and urban planning); the ceramics (the Caltagirone ceramic tradition (the “ceramica di Caltagirone”): the tradition spans 8,000 years: the oldest ceramic finds in the Caltagirone area are Stentinello culture (5800–4000 BCE) sherds found in the Gela plain south of the city; the Greek ceramic production (the Sicilian Greek colonies (700–200 BCE) introduced the red-figure technique at Caltagirone; the local workshops adapted the technique for the local terracotta clay); the Arab-Norman ceramic (the transformation that defines the “Caltagirone style”: the Arab conquest of Sicily (827–1072 CE) introduced the tin-glaze technique (the “maiolicatura”: covering the clay body with a white tin-oxide glaze before painting; the result: a bright white ground that accepts blue, yellow, orange, and green pigments with sharp contrast)); the Norman continuation (the Norman conquest (1072 CE) continued the Arab ceramic tradition under French-Norman patronage; the specific Norman contribution: the introduction of the cobalt blue (imported from Persia via the Crusade trade routes) as the dominant color of Caltagirone ceramics; the “blu di Caltagirone” is still the signature color)); the IGP (the “Ceramica di Caltagirone” received the IGP (Indicazione Geografica Protetta) in 1993 CE: the first ceramic product in Italy to receive a European geographical indication; the IGP requires: (1) the clay (the specific “creta di Caltagirone” (a micaceous clay from the Caltagirone hills with specific red-brown iron content) must be used for the body; (2) the glazing: the traditional tin-oxide white glaze; (3) the decoration: hand-painted only (no screen-printing, no transfers); (4) the firing: at least 1 firing above 900°C)).
Key facts
- La Scala di Santa Maria del Monte: 142 gradini, ceramiche diverse per ogni gradino, e l’illuminazione del 24 luglio: the Scala (the Scala di Santa Maria del Monte: the most photographed monument in Caltagirone: (1) the construction: the first 7 steps were built in 1606–1608 CE to connect the lower town to the church of Santa Maria del Monte on the hill; the scale was extended to 142 steps between 1844 and 1887 CE (each extension was funded by a different guild: the 1844 extension (steps 7–50) was funded by the Artigiani (craftsmen) guild; the 1887 completion (steps 100–142) was funded by the municipality); (2) the ceramic decoration: added between 1953 and 1960 CE (the ceramic tiles on each step were added after a 1951 CE competition; the winning design assigned a different historical ceramic motif to each step; the motifs span 4 eras: Arabic-Norman (steps 1–47 from base), Aragonese-Baroque (48–95), Contemporary (96–142); (3) the dimensions: 142 steps + 20 landings (the total height gain: 47 m; the total horizontal length: 140 m; the average step dimensions: 58 cm wide (for 1 person), 24 cm deep, 16 cm high)); (4) the Illuminazione (the Illumination event: 24–25 July (feast of Santiago/San Giacomo the patron of Caltagirone) and 14–15 August (feast of the Assumption): 4,000 terracotta oil lamps are placed on each step and landing; the light effect begins at 21:00 and lasts 1 hour; the lamps are filled with olive oil and lit by 200 volunteers in sequence from the bottom to the top step (the lighting takes 30 minutes); the attendance: 150,000 visitors per year for the combined 4 Illuminazione evenings); (5) the 2026 dates: 24–25 July and 14–15 August
- GPS (base della Scala di Santa Maria del Monte): 37.2292° N, 14.5131° E
History
Da 8000 anni di ceramica agli Arabi ai Normanni al terremoto 1693 CE al UNESCO 2002 (the most precisely Caltagirone zone history: the Arab foundation (the name “Caltagirone” derives from the Arabic “Qal’at al-Giran” (the “Castle of the Caves”; some sources give “Qal’at al-Jarrāt” = “Castle of the Jars/Ceramics”; the Arabic etymology is contested among historians; the most linguistically supported form is “Qal’at + an-Niran” = the “Castle of the Fire” — the ceramic kilns visible from the Arab castle on the hill); the Arab period (827–1072 CE) introduced the tin-glaze technique; the Norman period (1072–1194 CE) consolidated the ceramic tradition; the Spanish Aragonese period (1282–1713 CE) established the guild system (the “Arte dei Figolai” (the potters’ guild) was founded by statute in 1567 CE: the statute regulated the clay supply, the firing temperatures, the minimum thickness of vessels, and the quality grades (the specific grades: “prima scelta” = top quality; “seconda scelta” = commercial quality; “terza scelta” = household use; the Figolai guild continued until 1806 CE); the earthquake (the earthquake of 11 January 1693 CE (M7.4): Caltagirone was partially destroyed: 600 of the estimated 2,500 buildings collapsed (24%); the casualty estimate (7,000 dead) comes from a 1695 CE census comparison — the pre-earthquake population was 13,000; the post-earthquake population was 6,000; the reconstruction (1693–1730 CE): the Spanish governor Don Pedro Ramón de Rubì planned the reconstruction on the existing medieval street plan (unlike Noto, which was rebuilt on a completely new site 8 km from the original); the architect Giovanni Battista Vaccarini (1702–1768 CE; also the designer of the Catania Duomo and University) designed the town hall and several churches of the new Caltagirone); 2002 CE UNESCO inscription reference 1024.
What you see
La Scala, il Museo della Ceramica, le botteghe, e il barocco (the most precisely Caltagirone zone visit (1–2 days): Day 1 (the Scala and the city center): the Scala di Santa Maria del Monte (the standard visit: arrive at the base (Piazza Municipio) and climb the full 142 steps to the top (Santa Maria del Monte church); the climb time: 20–30 minutes; the view from the top: the entire Val di Noto plain to the south (on clear days: to the Gela coast, 50 km away); the best photo position: the landing at step 50 (looking down gives the full width of the ceramic decoration)); the Duomo di San Giuliano (the cathedral on the opposite side of Piazza Municipio: Baroque, 1693–1710 CE; the ceramic tile facade (the only major church facade in Sicily with a continuous ceramic tile covering in yellow and white)); the Museo Regionale della Ceramica (the Regional Ceramics Museum: Via Roma 10; open Tue–Sun 9 AM–6:30 PM; €4; 40 rooms covering 4,000 years of Caltagirone ceramics: the main highlights: room 4 (the Greek red-figure ceramics from the 5th century BCE (found at Morgantina, 30 km west)); room 14 (the Arab-Norman pieces: the 12th-century CE tiles from the cloister of San Giuliano; these are among the oldest known examples of tin-glazed ceramics in Sicily); room 22 (the 17th-century CE Figolai guild pieces: the typical “Caltagirone blue” vases and plates); room 35 (the 20th-century CE studio pieces by Vaccaro, Messina, and La Martina — the 3 artists who defined contemporary Caltagirone ceramics)); the botteghe (the 30 active ceramic workshops in the historic center: the best cluster: Via Roma between Piazza Umberto I and the Scala (300 m); open daily 9 AM–7 PM; some workshops offer demos and hands-on classes (€20/session, 2 hours).
Practical information
- Come acquistare la ceramica di Caltagirone autentica IGP e riconoscere quella non-autentica: il marchio IGP (la Ceramica di Caltagirone IGP (Indicazione Geografica Protetta): ogni pezzo autentico deve avere: (1) il marchio IGP cartaceo attaccato al pezzo con filo; (2) la firma del ceramista (nome o sigla impressa nella terracotta o scritta a pennello sul retro); (3) il paese di origine “ITALY” o “Caltagirone, Sicily, Italy” stampato o inciso; i segnali di allarme (i pezzi non-autentici: (1) nessun marchio IGP; (2) prezzo inferiore a €8 per un piatto di 15 cm (il costo della creta + cottura + decorazione manuale di un piatto di 15 cm è circa €6 per il ceramista; sotto €8 è probabilmente un pezzo cinese o importato; (3) decorazioni identiche su più pezzi (la produzione seriale industriale); (4) colori plastici lucidi (la ceramica autentica usa pigmenti ossidici opachi che hanno una lucentezza “vellutata” diversa dai pigmenti acrilici industriali))); i prezzi orientativi per pezzi autentici IGP: magnete piccolo €8–15; piatto 20 cm €25–60; vaso 30 cm €80–200; piastrella 20×20 cm (singola) €15–40; luminaria (il tipico vaso decorativo con fori che si illumina dall’interno) €60–180
Getting there
Da Catania: bus Interbus (Piazza Borsellino) a Caltagirone (1h15, €5.40, 8 corse/giorno). Da Palermo: Flixbus (2h30, €9). Auto: A19 Palermo–Catania, uscita Caltagirone-Gela. GPS Piazza Municipio: 37.2292, 14.5131.
Nearby
- Piazza Armerina: Villa Romana del Casale (UNESCO 1997) — 50 km ovest (il più grande mosaico romano in situ al mondo: 3.500 m2 di mosaici del IV sec. CE; le “Donne in Bikini”; Trenitalia Caltagirone–Piazza Armerina non esiste → bus ETNA Trasporti 1h20 €4)
- Ragusa Ibla (UNESCO 2002) — 60 km sud (Val di Noto serial; Duomo San Giorgio Barocco 1738 CE; il centro storico dichiarato dal CNR “la città più bella d’Italia” nel 2005 CE; bus AST da Caltagirone 1h30 €4)
Gallery
Sources
- Wikipedia, Caltagirone; Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto; Scala di Santa Maria del Monte, accessed June 2026
- UNESCO, Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-Eastern Sicily), WHS reference 1024, inscribed 2002
- La Duca, Rosario. Caltagirone. Storia e arte. Palermo: Sellerio, 1991
Find it on the map
See this place and what’s around it →📷 Diventa un fotografo di Cultural Heritage Online
Condividi le tue foto dei luoghi: restano pubblicate con la tua firma come autore. Più vengono viste, più ti fai conoscere — e presto un concorso premierà le foto più apprezzate.
Accedi o registrati gratis per aggiungere una foto