Selinus Theatre

The Selinus Theatre, an ingenious piece of work planned and directed by the architect Giuseppe Patricolo, was built on the original site of a small inn that accommodated the great poet Wolfgang Goethe during his trip to Sicily in 1787. It occupies a space of about 964 sq. m. Although the construction work started in 1873 it took a good 35 years to complete the entire structure and finally in 1908 the theatre welcomed its first show. In 1910 the theatre was enriched with the magnificent and priceless piece by Gennaro Pardo intended to act as the stage curtain; a large piece of cloth, 10x7 metres in size, which depicts the glorification of Empedocle in Selinunte. The theatre has a Neoclassic style and is distinguished by its Doric columned façade that recalls the architectural style of the Selinunte temples.