Palazzo Ducezio (Town Hall)
Across Piazza del Municipio from the Cathedral of San Nicolò, Palazzo Ducezio holds its ground with twenty arched openings framed by Ionic columns — a facade that reads more like a French manor than a Sicilian town hall. The name honours Ducezio, the ancient Sicel king who founded Noto, and that sense of civic pride runs through every room.
Step inside and the scale shifts. The Sala degli Specchi — an oval hall dressed in Louis XV stucco, gold, and floor-to-ceiling mirrors — is the reason most people linger. On the vault, Antonimo Mazza's 1826 fresco shows Ducezio himself being shown the site of his future city on Mount Alveria.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who come back tend to time the evening slot — entry is possible until 23:30, and the upper terrace at dusk, with Noto Cathedral sitting level with you across the piazza, is a different proposition from the midday visit. The cumulative €3 ticket folding in the theatre next door is worth picking up at the door.
The story behind Palazzo Ducezio (Town Hall)
Vincenzo Sinatra began the building in 1746, drawing on French palatial architecture of the previous century. Construction moved slowly — the ground floor alone, with its distinctive colonnade, wasn't fully complete until 1830. For over a century, the palazzo stood at a single storey.
The second floor, with its thirteen rectangular windows, came only between 1949 and 1951, designed by Francesco La Grassa. The Sala degli Specchi had already received attention by then: painter Gregorietti restored it in the early 1930s, and the central vault fresco by Antonimo Mazza dates to 1826. One quietly unexpected detail waits at the entrance — a marble bust of the Hungarian poet Sándor Petőfi, a token of Noto's town twinning with Kiskőrös, where he was born.
Good to know
A 1.3 km walk from Noto railway station, or a short ride from Piazza Pantheon bus stop. Open daily with a midday break; evening hours run until 23:30. The balcony opens May through September. Budget 20–30 minutes. Children under 12 enter free.
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What travellers say about Palazzo Ducezio (Town Hall)
Gorgeous architecture - Noto is lovely and would recommend. Driving through the narrow streets is not for the faint of heart! And if you have trouble with climbs, skip Belvedere Guastella (the view is gorgeous but don't give yourself a heart attack for a view).
Included in the combo ticket with the theatre Di Lorenzo and Palazzo Niccolaci. Most rooms and the interior are blah but one conference room is gorgeous and the VIEW from the terrace of the cathedral across the way and the plaza is STUNNING!
Staff very friendly and helpful, there was a working meeting in the main chamber so only the hall of mirrors open. It's not expensive to visit either. Notto is beautiful, there are loads of wonderful sights, it's just really just not worth the bother visiting this too. There were 2 large mirrors in the hall of mirrors..it was almost Monty Python surreal....
Wonderful baroque architecture, mesmerizing view, and italian atmosphere contribute to making this interesting sight a worthwhile experience
Better the stunning architecture is enjoyed from the outside. The roof terrace provides some nice panoramic views otherwise not sure paying an extra admission fee was worth seeing “the mirror room”.
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