Ariadne's labyrinth in Castel di Lucio

Inside the River of Art among the various works present, it is also possible to visit the labyrinth of Ariadne which, as the name suggests, is obviously inspired by classical mythology. Here, then, is all the main information that can be useful for visiting Ariadne's labyrinth but also for discovering other suggestive corners of Castel di Lucio that can help you discover this corner better Sicilia little known to mass tourism.

History of Ariadne's Labyrinth

Ariadne's labyrinth, despite what the name might suggest, is actually a contemporary work, created in recent years and especially in 1990 by the artist Italo Lanfredini. The work is freely inspired by the myth of Ariadne and of the labyrinth: the girl was there Princess of Crete and fell in love with Teseo, arrived on the island to kill the Minotaur, a tremendous monster that lived inside a maze. To be sure that her beloved didn't get lost, risking his life, she handed him a ball of wool to unroll so as not to lose his way back. Thanks to this ruse, Theseus managed to beat the minotaur, even if he later abandoned his beloved on an island on the return journey to Athens. The labyrinth of Castel di Lucio, however, starts from this story to tell different emotions and concepts, always inspired by the structure of a labyrinth that symbolizes a path of rebirth.

The architecture and any works of art present in Ariadne's labyrinth

From the point of view of the structure, the labyrinth of Ariadne it occupies the top of a small hill and is created with a set of concentric circles that converge into a central nucleus through a winding path.
From the point of view of meaning, however, the work created by Lanfredini it wants to symbolize the theme of the journey towards purity, a path that each of us can carry out through spirituality and reflection to reach the pinnacle of transparency.
The entrance inside the path takes place through a portal that strongly recalls the female genital organ, then you walk through the corridors of the labyrinth convinced that you have to make a road but suddenly you find obstacles that disrupt any conviction. In the end, through a path that is anything but linear, we arrive at the central nucleus where there is an olive tree which, however, does not bear any fruit.

What you can do around or inside Ariadne's labyrinth

Ariadne's labyrinth is located within a real open-air museum which also houses other sculptures of great impact, such as the monument to a dead poet. Who is here to admire the works of the Fiumara d'Arte, however, can also take advantage of the opportunity to visit Castel di Lucio, this small village that has a lot to offer to its visitors. One of the most distinctive monuments is the Norman Castle, from the XIII century, which was kept in activity until 1840.
Of smaller dimensions, however, is the Castelluzzo, a small Norman castle located on the top of the hill overlooking the town.
Also the Mother Church is particular: its construction dates back to 1499, at least in its original nucleus, even if the structure that can be admired today is the result of various interventions that have modified its appearance and even the square footage, for example by enlarging the central nave with other two smaller sides.

How is it possible to get to Castel di Lucio

Those who come from Messina and want to visit the Ariadne's labyrinth at Castel di Lucio they can do it by walking by car first the A20 and then the E90, same road for those moving from Palermo.
Instead, those coming from Trapani will have to take the E90 while those who leave from Catania will choose the A19.
From Syracuse it is necessary to follow the E45 while from Enna the indicated road is the SS120.
The borough does not have its own railway station, so those who prefer to travel on the train they will have to take the stations of Tusa, Pollina or Santo Stefano as a reference and then continue up to Castel di Lucio with the bus numbers made available by the AST company.

© Image by HaguardDuNord, CC BY 4.0 - HaguardDuNord, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons