Hidden Sicily Trip: Teatro Andromeda.

Hidden Sicily for the most curious: discover the amazing places of the island and include in your trip a stop at the Teatro Andromeda – an open-air work of art.

Much has already been said about the incredible treasures of the largest island in the Mediterranean: a variety of culture, local dialects, history, architectural monuments and the most delicious local cuisine. Sicily ranks first in terms of the number of UNESCO sites in Italy. This is where their greatest concentration is. This combination was made possible thanks to the island's rich history. At different times, the island was conquered by the Greeks, ancient Romans, Catalans, and Arabs. Each of the new rulers brought their own culture and customs, which is still reflected in the diversity of local traditions. In Sicily, you can find preserved Arab buildings along with Byzantine cathedrals, Greek temples next to Catholic churches, bright towns known all over the world, and authentic towns where it seems that life has stopped in the same time as it was several centuries ago. If you find yourself in one end of Sicily and then decide to go to the other, it will most likely seem to you that you are already in another country. Nature, cuisine, local dialects differ from region to region, and absolutely everywhere you will find incredible works of art in the open air that have survived to the present day. For example, the most unusual and metaphysical place in Sicily is the Andromeda Theatre, near Agrigento.

The theater stands at an altitude of about 1000 meters above sea level, and there is an incredible panorama of Sicilian nature around. This work of art was built by an ordinary Sicilian shepherd Lorenza Reina. Since early childhood, he dreamed of becoming an artist and sculptor, but his father insisted that he become a shepherd. However, Lorenzo's desire was so strong that it led him to create an incredible mystical creation. Once he read an article that in a few billion years the Andromeda Constellation would collide with the Milky Way. It inspired him to think that he wanted to create his own Andromeda theater. Later, he carried it out in the middle of unspoilt Sicilian nature.

In the Andromeda Theater, every detail is filled with meaning. 108 seats, created from cubic blocks of light stone, are arranged, seemingly at first glance, in a mess. But if you look from above, the seats are shaped like 8 terminal stars, and each of them occupies the “place” of one of the 108 stars from the constellation Andromeda.

One of the most amazing shows takes place here during the summer solstice. At this time, the shadow of the Sun, cast by a disk located behind the stage, projects a circle that coincides with a round black space on the stage. Similarly, a ray of sunlight passes from the mouth of the sculpture at sunset. There are voids between the seats. These spaces are also important for Reina's drawing, as all these details together create a complete reproduction of the Andromeda constellation. The stage has an elliptical shape and consists of 365 dowels (365 days a year). Entering the theater, it seems that you are making a transition from one world to another. It is this effect that makes visitors to the Andromeda Theater feel outside the real world and find themselves in the mystical and metaphysical center of nature, far from the ordinary.

The Andromeda Theater is an incredible and amazing example of the fact that every true and strong desire can certainly be realized and, perhaps, its realization will leave its message for many years or even forever for future generations. Being in Sicily, do not miss the opportunity to see this mystical place with your own eyes and learn more interesting things about its creation.