The Church of San Domenico, designed in a Greek cross plan by Syracuse architect Rosario Gagliardi, is a highlight of walking tours of Noto's baroque highlights, including the Cathedral, Basilica del Santissimo Salvatore, San Carlo al Corso, and Ducezio Palace in Piazza Municipio. In addition to its carved limestone facade—a hallmark of architecture in the Val di Noto in the Sicilian baroque era—San Domenico features the area’s characteristic stucco decoration inside the church’s five domes.
The Church of San Domenico is located on Piazza XVI Maggio, not far from the city’s cathedral. The city is a 40-minute drive from Syracuse, and there is a bus that runs between the two towns, but the easiest way to visit is on a guided tour that includes transportation.
Many of Noto’s most historic churches, including San Domenico, close briefly at midday, so the best time to tour the city’s architectural highlights is in the morning or afternoon. The baroque limestone facades in the historic center photograph well in the golden hours of sunset.
San Domenico is one of a group of churches and palaces that are grouped into the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation “Val di Noto,” added to UNESCO’s list in 2002. The cohesive style of the towns in the Val di Noto is a result of a massive earthquake in 1693 that destroyed many of the buildings in the area; these were later rebuilt in the same time period, which coincided with the peak of the Sicilian baroque style.