Last Updated on 4 August 2024
Introduction
Hidden in the Sicani mountains, which take their name from the ancient people who first lived in Sicily, there is something very particular and fascinating . This is the Andromeda Theater, located in the Agrigento municipality of Santo Stefano Quisquina, built by the shepherd artist Lorenzo Reina. Here, a thousand meters high in the middle of nowhere, the view from the theater is sublime , you can admire the sea, the mountains and even the island of Pantelleria. But what exactly is this theater and who made it?
The History of the Andromeda Theater
Lorenzo Reina is the son of shepherds and has always carried on the family business. But there is always an artistic vein inside him that is difficult to stop. During the day he would take the sheep to graze and at night he carved alabasters in the stable.
He realized that in the place where the theater now stands, the sheep were still swarming like stones and he sensed that there were particular energies here. Hence the idea of creating his work of art that after a work that lasted 30 years, everyone can admire today.
The work consisting of a circular stage and 108 stone cubes, reproduces the constellation Andromeda. To enter it you have to go through a door that will make you enter as if into another dimension. In fact, you will find yourself in the heart of the theater, closed and surrounded by a stone wall, which ends on two columns that form a sort of panoramic door. It is advisable to come here in the afternoon to admire the sunset , which makes this place even more mystical. After paying the ticket, you will come across a room that tells the history of the place, and then continue along a small street full of works by the artist that guides you towards the theater.
Top Secret Council – The Hermitage of Santa Rosalia
Not far from the Andromeda theater is the seventeenth-century Hermitage of Santa Rosalia and a fascinating cave rich in history. In fact, it was in this cave that she decided to live and pray to Rosalia as soon as she was a child, to escape from the family who wanted to marry her .
He lived here for 12 years, between 1150 and 1162 and thinks that even today in a rocky wall it is possible to read an engraving of his “EGO ROSALIA SINIBALDI QUISQUINE ET ROSARUM DOMINI FILIA AMORE D / NI MEI JESU CRISTI IN HOC ANTRO HABITARI DECREVI” in which explains living there for love in Jesus Christ. Later she took refuge in a cave in Monte Pellegrino in Palermo and is today the patron saint of the city. The hermitage was instead built in 1624 by the will of a Genoese merchant, who decided to honor the Saint.
How to reach the Hermitage of Santa Rosalia
The Hermitage of Santa Rosalia is located in a very beautiful place among hills and forests. In this regard, to get there follow the small road near the Andromeda Theater, do not take the provincial road. In this way you can admire beautiful landscapes and at times even very green, it does not even seem to be in Sicily. You can park the car in a large open space, near the statue of Santa Rosalia and then you can continue on foot along a nice path in the middle of the dense vegetation. If you wish to take a walk in the woods, you will find signs for trails near the parking lot.
Where to eat in Santo Stefano Quisquina
Nearby there is a beautiful restaurant surrounded by nature and if you want, you can also go horseback riding, as they also have a stable. Buonanotte Resort offers traditional food, such as fantastic tripe and beans.
Interactive map – Points of interest in purple
To locate yourself once in the area, click on the enlarge symbol at the top right of the map.
Most popular activities for tourists in Sicily
Typical dishes of the area
Here you find the typical products of the province of Agrigento , here instead i typical Sicilian dishes.
What to see around the Andromeda Theater
Here you will find listed the places to visit in Agrigento and its surroundings.
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