The Cattedrale di San Nicolò dominates Piazza del Municipio at the top of a broad flight of steps, its three-tiered facade the single most impressive view in Noto. Built between 1693 and 1776 after the earthquake, the cathedral exemplifies the theatrical ambition of the Sicilian Baroque: the wide staircase, the monumental proportions, the warm golden-honey colour of the local limestone in afternoon light.
The interior is large and well-lit, with a single nave and side chapels. A side chamber holds the relics of San Corrado, Noto's patron saint, in an elaborate silver reliquary. The dome is a modern reconstruction after the 1996 collapse; from a distance it is indistinguishable from the original. Climb the bell tower for views over the rooftops and the surrounding countryside.