Dear citizens, we write this letter in order to inform you, hoping to touch your sensitivity and interest, about the tragic situation in which lies today a very important monument, historical patrimony of humanity of great cultural and artistic interest: we are talking about Villa Santa Barbara, located in Cefalù, near Palermo, and well known internationally as "Thelema Abbey". This building has been in the years the "philosopher" house of the famous Aleister Crowley and of a cetain spiritual comunity, for this, object of the pen of writers like Leonardo Sciascia, Vincenzo Console and Wiliam Somerset Maugham, and musicians including Beatles, Sting and Led Zeppelin. The house, although a bond of Sicilian Region, is in a state of total abandonment and decay, has undergone several vandalism and still hosts inside traces of Crowley's original wall paintings; among other things, in the last years have been discovered other Crowley's artistic works in Castelnuovo, appeared for the first time in exhibition in Paris. Our Association was born with the purpose of protecting the memory and the historical, artistic and cultural patrimony linked to Crowley's Italian stay and promoting initiatives of restoration and valorisation of the Asset. We invite anyone interested to contact us privately to e-mail address: thelema@autoproduzioni.net Thanks for the attention. www.abbeyofthelema.org
Yes. We know all that. There is a thread here wherein certain Thelemites tried to purchase the Abbey - over a course of two or three years ? - but the owner was out to lunch (or was it "on the moon?") on pricing and the efforts finally slowed, and then stopped, due to international finances and economic disaster. Many people were interested, but it was written off as a lost cause.
Perhaps you have a million euros and can afford to simply buy the place?
I think it was a combination of being unable to locate the definitive owner(s) and the exceedingly high price asked by anyone who had any connection with the Abbey, who happened to be based in Cefalu.
the price is now in a tractative with me and the owners of building but also if cost low the problem is the some: we need money... in last "save thelema abbey" campaign anyone collect it? this project was international ok but dissociated with sicilian contest, people and activist: now can be different, if we cooperate i think positive! is important to save the house but i don't know if can be, sure we can save the murales and make crowleyan museum in other place of cefalu': i'm moving for this. who help me?
How much is the owner now asking (from you)?