Val di Noto

The Val di Noto (bottom right) on a historical map of Sicily.

The Val di Noto is a historical administrative unit in south-east Sicily .

Chiesa di San Domenico in the city of Noto , which was rebuilt elsewhere after 1693.

Val is not an abbreviation from Italian la valle = the valley, but from il vallo , a name that is said to go back to the predominance of the Saracens over Sicily , cf. Arabic wilaya (ولاية) = administrative district. The Kingdom of Sicily comprised the three administrative units Val di Mazara (west), Val Demone (northeast) and Val di Noto. These remained in place until 1818 when a new division into seven provinces was carried out.

The Val di Noto extended over the territory of today's Free Municipal Consortia Ragusa and Syracuse and over parts of that of the metropolitan city of Catania (excluding Catania itself) and the Free Municipal Consortia Enna and Caltanissetta . The western border was the course of the Imera Meridionale River .

The Val di Noto is known for the destructive earthquake that occurred there in 1693, and for the UNESCO World Heritage Late Baroque Cities of the Val di Noto , which was created during the reconstruction - a misleading name, as it is next to Caltagirone , Militello in Val di Catania , Modica , Noto , Palazzolo Acreide , Ragusa and Scicli also includes Catania.

Coordinates: 36 ° 53 ′ 0 ″  N , 15 ° 5 ′ 0 ″  E