To the east of the inhabited center of Montedoro, at a point called “Pupiddru” located on Mount Ottaviano, stands the Planetarium or Astronomical Observatory of Montedoro.
From here, you can enjoy a breathtaking panorama! For this reason, the Arabs called this place “ElMinzar”, which means “beautiful panorama”.
The observatory was built in 2004 and allows you to admire: Mount Etna, Enna, the peaks of the Madonie, the Bosco Mine, Serradifalco and its railway station, Mussomeli and the Chiaramontan Castle, the Rocca di Sutera, Mount Cammarata, Casteltermini, Milena, Gibellini, and the Gallodoro River.
The structure is in the shape of a thin and elongated prism that barely emerges from the ground.
This construction is oriented as if it were a compass in various directions branching towards the sky and the earth, the latter constituting the two poles to which the project is oriented.
The travertine slabs cover the prism, which is characterized by a turret with an openable and adjustable dome for observing the stars, complete with a telescope. For those who want to admire the landscapes with the naked eye, the structure offers a terrace overlooking the landscapes.
The planetarium also has a conference room that hosts scientific and cultural meetings.