Theater of Andromeda:
enchanting art

The Theater of Andromeda is located in Sicily in the Sicani Mountains of Agrigento, a unique and enchanting open air theater in stone, well worth a visit. The site is at an altitude of about 1000 meters, among the green crags above Santo Stefano Quisquina, with a breathtaking view of immense beauty: on the stage the sky and the earth seem to come together in a mystical embrace. All over the world, when the length of the day equals that of the night on the Spring Equinox, the arrival of Spring and the return of light after the winter darkness is celebrated. This year, on March 23rd 2019, this mystical encounter between Heaven and Earth will be celebrated on the stage of the Theatre of Andromeda with a symbolic ritual. Besides the Spring Equinox, two other extraordinary events are organized yearly at the Andromeda Theater to celebrate the Summer Solstice (June 21st) and Winter Solstice (December 21st) which respectively mark the longest and the shortest day of the year. The celebration of the solstices is one of the most ancient rituals known to humanity, distant in time but still present in the Theater of Andromeda. Visitors wishing to participate are advised to book in advance.The highlight of the year is undoubtedly the Summer Solstice, which arrives on June 21st at 7.45 pm. Participants gather in front of the Mask of the Word at sunset to witness the arrival of the rays of sun that pronounce words of light through the open mouth of this sculpture. An unforgettable spectacle for who is fortunate enough to be there to behold it. On the Winter Solstice, on December 21st, darkness prevails over light: it is the shortest day and the longest night of the year. Nature falls into its deepest sleep and so absolute rest, reflection and introspection are celebrated. Soon after, on Christmas Eve, the days begin to lengthen and under the earth seeds begin to quiver, accumulating the energy necessary to break their shell, cut through the hard earth and emerge towards the light bringing new life in time for the Spring Equinox. It is a perfect metaphor of the life cycle that connects culture and nature, spirit and matter, macrocosm and microcosm.

This microcosm is the “Rocca Reina” Art Farm, a place that is not only a theater but also an art workshop, a museum, an organic vegetable garden and an educational farm. This is the home of Lorenzo Reina; it is the world shaped by his creativity and his talent. Shepherd by birth, sculptor by vocation, architect by chance, Lorenzo has built a marvel of our times in almost thirty years of patient and passionate work. A space in which art, philosophy, astronomy and natural sciences have been so well combined that Lorenzo Reina was invited to participate in the XVIth edition of the Venice International Architecture Biennale: the first and only participant not graduated in architecture, a case as unique as the theater he built.

How to get to the Theater of Andromeda and other information: the theater can be visited only on prior reservation and can be reached by car from Santo Stefano Quisquina, taking the junction for Castronovo di Sicilia. For phone numbers, GPS and Google Map coordinates and detailed driving instructions click here.