Giovanni Battista Landolina
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Battista Landolina, "Marchese di S. Alfano", was a Sicilian
landowner and intellectual
instrumental in having the city of Noto
removed from its former site on Mount Alveria
to a more level location following the earthquake in 1693
centred on the Val di Noto
. He is commemorated by a piazza in the city named in his honour.
Ultimate responsibility for the re-building of Sicily at this time was however in the hands of the Spanish
viceroy
, Duke of Camastra
; but Landolina successfully argued his case for the rebuilding to be some 10 km. from the former site. He is credited with having designed the city with the help of three local architect
s. It is based on three parallel streets, interconnected by a series of narrower streets at right angle
s, thus producing a grid
pattern, providing vistas to the three piazza
s, each with their own church, the largest having a cathedral
. Landolina's town planning philosophy
was based on the Baroque
system, in which the town was divided according to social rank and position, the aristocracy
were given the highest sites, the church the town centre, to reflect their position at the centre of one's life, and the poor the periphery of the town where no-one else wanted to live. Later the architects Giovanni Battista Vaccarini
, and Rosario Gagliardi
designed many buildings in the city.
Landolina rule was broken in 1730 when his son Francesco Landolina, Marchese di S. Alfano, built his new house the "Palazzo Landolina", in the town centre next to the new cathedral. Today, Noto is a great tourist attraction owing to the many examples of Sicilian Baroque
built during Landolina's time as town planner.
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
landowner and intellectual
Intellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
instrumental in having the city of Noto
Noto
Noto is a city and comune in the Province of Syracuse, Sicily . Its located 32 km southwest of the city of Syracuse at the foot of the Iblean Mountains and gives its name to the surrounding valley, Val di Noto...
removed from its former site on Mount Alveria
Mount Alveria
Mount Alveria is a mountain located in the Province of Siracusa, south-eastern Sicily, Italy.-History:This mountainside has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The Elymians lived there before the 10th century B.C. They were followed by the Sicani and then the Siculians. Many Bronze age...
to a more level location following the earthquake in 1693
1693 Sicily earthquake
The 1693 Sicily earthquake refers to a powerful earthquake that struck parts of southern Italy, notably Sicily, Calabria and Malta on January 11, 1693 around 9 pm local time. This earthquake was preceded by a damaging foreshock on January 9th...
centred on the Val di Noto
Val di Noto
Val di Noto is a geographical area of south east Sicily; it is dominated by the limestone Iblean plateau.-The Val di Noto in the Arts:...
. He is commemorated by a piazza in the city named in his honour.
Ultimate responsibility for the re-building of Sicily at this time was however in the hands of the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
, Duke of Camastra
Giuseppe Lanza
Giuseppe Lanza, Duke of Camastra, was a 17th century Sicilian nobleman who oversaw the reconstruction of many Sicilian towns and cities following the earthquake of 1693.He was created 1st Duke of Camastra, and Prince of Santo Stefano...
; but Landolina successfully argued his case for the rebuilding to be some 10 km. from the former site. He is credited with having designed the city with the help of three local architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
s. It is based on three parallel streets, interconnected by a series of narrower streets at right angle
Right angle
In geometry and trigonometry, a right angle is an angle that bisects the angle formed by two halves of a straight line. More precisely, if a ray is placed so that its endpoint is on a line and the adjacent angles are equal, then they are right angles...
s, thus producing a grid
Grid plan
The grid plan, grid street plan or gridiron plan is a type of city plan in which streets run at right angles to each other, forming a grid...
pattern, providing vistas to the three piazza
Piazza
A piazza is a city square in Italy, Malta, along the Dalmatian coast and in surrounding regions. The term is roughly equivalent to the Spanish plaza...
s, each with their own church, the largest having a cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
. Landolina's town planning philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
was based on the Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
system, in which the town was divided according to social rank and position, the aristocracy
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
were given the highest sites, the church the town centre, to reflect their position at the centre of one's life, and the poor the periphery of the town where no-one else wanted to live. Later the architects Giovanni Battista Vaccarini
Giovanni Battista Vaccarini
Giovanni Battista Vaccarini was an Italian architect, notable for his work in the Sicilian Baroque style in his homeland during the period of massive rebuilding following the earthquake of 1693. Many of his principal works can be found in the area in and around Catania.- Biography :Vaccarini was...
, and Rosario Gagliardi
Rosario Gagliardi
Rosario Gagliardi was a Sicilian architect born in Syracuse. He was one of the leading architects working in the Sicilian Baroque. In spite of never leaving Sicily his work showed great understanding of the style, but was a progression from the style of baroque as deployed by Bernini...
designed many buildings in the city.
Landolina rule was broken in 1730 when his son Francesco Landolina, Marchese di S. Alfano, built his new house the "Palazzo Landolina", in the town centre next to the new cathedral. Today, Noto is a great tourist attraction owing to the many examples of Sicilian Baroque
Sicilian Baroque
Sicilian Baroque is the distinctive form of Baroque architecture that took hold on the island of Sicily, off the southern coast of Italy, in the 17th and 18th centuries...
built during Landolina's time as town planner.