Messina is a harbour city and the third largest city in Sicily and the 13th largest city in Italy. It is located on the northeast corner of the island at the Strait of Messina and is an important access point to the region of Calabria on the mainland. The city's main resources are its seaport, cruise ship tourism and agriculture.
Messina was founded by Greek colonists in the 7th century BC who called it "Zancle" from the Greek word meaning "scythe" because of the shape of its natural harbour although a legend attributes the name to the Greek King Zanclus, the first king of Messina. In the early 5th century it was renamed Messene in honour of the Greek city Messene. The city was ransacked by the Carthaginians in 397BC and was then reconquered by Dionysius I of Syracuse. In 264BC Roman troops were deployed to Sicily and Messina became under Roman rule. Thereafter it was ruled by the Goths from 476, the Byzantine Empire in 535, by the Arabs in 842 and 1061 by the Normans. In 1189 the English King Richard I ("The Lionheart") stopped at Messina en route to the Holy Land for the Third Crusade and briefly occupied the city after a dispute over the dowry of his sister Joan who had been married to William the Good, King of Sicily. From 1345 the city came under Spanish rule.
In 1347 Messina was one of the first points of entry for the black death into Western Europe. Galleys from Genova travelling back from infected countries carried plague into the Messina ports. Accounts from Messina tell of the arrival of "Death Ships" from the East, which floated to shore with all the passengers on board dead or dying of plague from infested rats on the ships. The black death ravaged Messina and rapidly spread northward into mainland Italy from Sicily. In 1743, 48,000 residents died of a second wave of plague in the city.
In 1783 an earthquake devastated much of the city and it took decades to rebuild. Another less intense earthquake damaged the city on 16th November 1894.
The city was almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake and tsunami on the morning of 28th December 1908, killing around 100,000 people and destroying most of the ancient architecture. The city was largely rebuilt in the following year in a Baroque style.
The city incurred further damage from the massive Allied air bombardment of 1943 before and during the Allied invasion of Sicily during World War Two. Messina, owing to its strategic importance as a transit point for Axis troops and supplies sent to Sicily from mainland Italy, was a prime target for the British and American forces, which dropped some 6,500 tons of bombs in the span of a few months. These raids destroyed one third of the city.
Messina is often overlooked as a destination in Sicily and as the once capital of a great kingdom it has massive historical heritage full of myths and legends and is definitely worth visiting if you are planning a trip to Sicily and can be easily explored on foot in a few hours.
The city is most famous for its Norman Cathedral with its Gothic portal and an astronomical clock on its campanile (bell tower) that is a masterpiece of art and design that is the largest in the world. It is a beautiful city and you can only imagine the seaport in its full glory dating back to ancient and medieval vessels, grand galleons, times of pirate ships, war ships and now to modern times.
Messina's biggest source of tourism these days comes from the mega cruise ships which dock there as the port is well equipped to handle larger vessels without the need for a tender, a small boat that ferries passengers ashore in groups as they do in our town Giardini Naxos. Whilst many passengers choose shore excursions to Taormina and Mount Etna some choose to spend their time exploring the city. Most monuments are around a five minute walking distance from the cruise terminal and around ten minutes walking from Messina Centrale train station.
The best place to start your Messina day of discovery is in Piazza del Duomo which is home to the cathedral and its curious bell tower. My advice, if you like heights, is to visit the bell tower first but be warned you will have to climb the 236 steps to the top but it is worth every step. It is well worth the €5 entrance fee to get such great views of the city and its surroundings and put it all to perspective from a birds eye view and if you are visiting from a cruise you will get the most amazing view of your ship down below. Try to time your visit for when the bells chime but be sure to grab a good spot down in the piazza for watching the noon performance.
The cathedral known as the Basilica Cathedrale di Santa Assunta was built by the Normans in 1120 and was consecrated in 1197. The current building is the final result of some 20th century reconstructions which took place following the disastrous earthquake of 1908 and damage caused from the heavy aerial bombardment in World War Two. Only the perimeter walls, the Gothic portal and an apse remained standing after the earthquake. In 1943 incendiary bombs fell on the restored roof destroying much of the interior. In June 1947 Pope Pius XII granted it the status of a minor basilica. The cathedral contains the remains of King Conrad, ruler of Germany and Sicily in the 13th century.
The bell tower of the cathedral is 60m high and contains the biggest and the most complex mechanical and astronomical clock in the world. Designed by the company Ungerer of Strasbourg for the Archbishop of Messina of that time the clock was inaugurated on the 13th August 1933. At noon each day a complex system of counterweights, leverages and gears, controls the movements of the 54 gilded bronze statues located in the façade overlooking the square. The clock was commissioned to mark the reconstruction of the bell tower after the 1908 earthquake and is an incredible show to watch at noon and it draws in a multitude of onlookers. The twelve minute long performance and music is composed of the various carousels and moving statues that start with a golden lions roar and the symphony of Ave Maria by Shubert. The Lion is the emblem of the city of Messina.
As you climb the bell tower you will get up close and personal with the statues, mechanism's and church bells as each component has its own story:
The Carousel of the Days of the Week ... Every day is represented by a pagan divinity, brought in triumph by a chariot pulled by a different animal. It moves slowly and gradually and the days chariot is at the centre of the scene at midday. The order of the chariots is as the following: On Sunday the chariot is pulled by a horse and is driven by the god Apollo, on Monday the chariot is pulled by a deer and driven by the goddess Diana, on Tuesday the chariot is pulled by a horse and driven by the god Mars, on Wednesday the chariot is pulled by a panther and driven by the god Mercury, on Thursday the chariot is pulled by a chimera and driven by the god Jupiter, on Friday the chariot is pulled by a dove and driven by the goddess Venus and on Saturday the chariot is pulled by a chimera and driven by the god Saturn.
The Carousel of Ages ... This is composed of four life size statues of life, childhood (a child), youth (a boy), maturity (a warrior), old age (an old man), which every few minutes reach the centre of the scene. Meanwhile death, represented by a skeleton, beats out the course of life with a sickle.
The Biblical Scenes ... On the façade of the bell tower the scenes vary according to the liturgical calendar in the following order: From Christmas to Epiphany the adoration of the shepherds where the shepherds pass and bow before the baby Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. From Epiphany to Easter the adoration of the Maji led by a comet, the three kings, each one accompanied by a valet worship the baby Jesus who is held in the Virgin Mary's arms. From Easter to Pentecost the resurrection of Jesus with two soldiers keeping watch over the holy sepulcher from which as they watch in dismay Jesus rises. From Pentecost to Christmas the descent of the Holy Spirit, the twelve apostles are in the cenacle around the Virgin Mary, a dove the symbol of the Holy Spirit flies over the apostles and flames appear on their heads whilst they raise their arms.
The Madonna of the Letter ... This scene represents the Madonna of the Letter who is the patron saint of the city. According to legend in 42AD Saint Paul came to Messina to spread Christianity. The citizens of Messina sent their ambassadors to Jerusalem to pay their homage to the Virgin Mary whilst she was still alive. The Virgin Mary wrote the ambassadors a letter addressed to the people of Messina, promising her eternal protection to the city. A little after noon, in the clock tower, an angel brings the letter to the Madonna followed by Saint Paul and the ambassadors. Each character bows when passing in front of the Virgin Mary.
Dina, Clarenza and the Rooster ... The hours and the quarter hours are struck by two automatic bronze statues, 3 metre high, representing Dina and Clarenza. The two women defended the city during the war of the vespers. The rooster stands in the centre between the two heroines. The rooster which is 2.2 metres high and was conceived by the builder as the symbol of the awakening of conscience, a little after the bells chime noon and after the lion has roared, it flaps its wings, raises it head and crows for three consecutive times.
The Heart of the Clock ... In the central floor of the building, there is the movement gear, called the "the heart of the clock", a powerful clockwork mechanism with counterweights. Powered by an electric motor, the sufficient power to lift the counterweights themselves, it allows the operation and regulation of the entire system.
The Lion ... The lion in gilded bronze is 4 metres high and stands at the top of the tower as a symbol of the province of Messina and of strength. Immediately after the bells have chimed noon the lion is the first statue to move. It waves a flag, moves its tail, turns its head towards the cathedral square and roars for three consecutive times. The flag is 6.3 metres high. There are eight bells on the same floor as the lion and their total weight is 16,000kg. The lion's mechanism is on the floor above the bells and it transmits the movement to the cogs which set the animal in motion by means of a vertical axis.
Phew!!!! That is a lot of information and I will be testing you at the end of this Blog post!!!! Only joking. Thankfully I am the perfect example of a tourist and always take photos of information boards so that I can peruse them at a later date and it also helps me to compile my Blog posts at a later date.
In Piazza Duomo you will also see the beautiful Orion Fountain. This fountain was designed by the Florentine, Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli, a pupil of Michaelangelo. The fountain was intended to depict Orion, the mythical founder of Messina. In Greek mythology Orion was a giant and a very handsome hunter with the star constellation known by his name. The story of Orion has many different versions. Beneath Orion are four statues that depict the Tiber, Nile, Ebro and Camaro rivers. The fountain adds much beauty to the pretty piazza which really seems to appear to the eye like a stage scene from a Shakesperian play ....
Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy play by William Shakespeare thought to have been written between 1598 and 1599 as Shakespeare was approaching the middle of his career. The play is based in Messina in the 16th century when the island was under Spanish Aragon rule. Messina's climate makes it agricultural as well, meaning the male characters of the play returning from war viewing Messina as a welcome respite from the battlefields of northern Italy. Messina’s warmth and cultivation are referenced to in the play through oranges and citrus orchards and it’s nobility at that time is represented in the form of masked balls along with the vanity of aristocracy in that era.
But more about Shakespeare later …..
As I mentioned earlier the Madonna of the Letter is the patron saint of Messina. Those of you arriving in Sicily via Messina by ferry or cruise will notice a statue at the port greeting all visitors who enter the city by sea. The statue was unveiled in 1934 and is called La Madonna della Lettera, she stands six metres high atop of a column and carries the inscription "Vos et ipsam civitatem benedicimus" which translates to "We bless you and your city" and it is said to be the sentence that ended the letter which was forwarded to the city by Saint Paul.
Also when arriving by sea you may see Felucca boats with their high masts 33m above sea, these are traditional harpoon fishing boats to catch swordfish which is popular on most menus all over Sicily. The best swordfish is caught between April and June when the fish swim through the narrow Straits of Messina. The little town of Scilla near Messina was described by Homer in The Odyssey as "Scylla", named after a mythological sea monster that lived in the Straits of Messina. Dangerous currents, whirlpools and winds in the straits threatened ancient sea journeys, those who escaped the whirlpools often ended up shipwrecked on the Scylla coast. These days Scilla is the modern day centre for swordfish angling. It is said that superstitious fishermen on the straits to this day recite an ancient Greek prayer to lure the swordfish closer to the boats because legend says that if the fish heard a word spoken in Italian it would swim far far away.
Scylla and Charybdis were mythical sea monsters, Greek mythology sited them on opposite sides of the Straits of Messina between Sicily and Calabria on the Italian mainland. Scylla was described as a six headed sea monster on the Calabrian side of the strait and Charybdis was a whirlpool off the coast of Sicily. They were regarded as maritime hazards located close enough to each other that they posed an inescapable threat to passing sailors, avoiding Charybdis meant passing too close to Scylla and vice versa. According to Homer's account, Odysseus was advised to pass Scylla and lose only a few sailors, rather than risk the loss of his entire ship in the whirlpool. The myth gave rise to the English sayings such as "on the horns of a dilemma", "to choose the lesser of two evils", "between the devil and the deep blue sea" and "between a rock and a hard place". Of course sea monsters were not the only problem for ancient Greek sailors as they would also have to avoid obstacles in the form of beautiful sirens on the rocks at the entrance to the strait who would try to lure them to their deaths with their alluring voices but do not worry I doubt that these mythological creatures will have an impact on your ferry or cruise but best to keep your eyes and ears alert !!!!!
Another fountain to look out for in Messina is the Fountain of Neptune. The powerful figure of Neptune, god of the sea, stands looking out to sea above tiered basins brandishing his signature trident to ward off the sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis. The statue is a replica, the original sculptures are housed in Messina's regional museum.
The regional museum of Messina is well worth a visit as it is home to architectural, sculptural and decoration fragments recovered from Messina churches after the 1908 earthquake as well as paintings and sculpture. Highlights include two works of art by Caravaggio during his stay in Messina from 1608 to 1609, The Raising of Lazarus and The Adoration of the Shepherds.
On the 15th August during the annual procession of the Madonna of the Letter you may meet two huge statues about eight meters high riding two horses, one white and one black. A carnival atmosphere is felt in Messina where Mata and Grifone, two giants considered the ancestors of the population of Messina are carried through the cities streets. There are many versions of the legend concerning these mysterious characters. Mata was a beautiful Christian daughter of a nobleman from Camaro a village near the city and Hassam Ibn-Hammar was a Muslim who fell in love with her when he arrived in Messina around 964AD. He was a Saracen giant who was head of his army dedicated to piracy and violent raids, because of this Mata rejected him and her father denied him his daughters hand in marriage. In order to win Mata's heart Hassam gave up his violent role in the army and converted to Christianity for love, thus changing his faith and name into Christian Grifone. Mata struck by his grand gesture fell in love with him and their marriage blessed them with many children hence gaining them the legend of becoming the progenitors of Messina. It is said that on arrival in Sicily that Grifone settled in the Peloritani Mountain range that dominates the city of Messina, from the top of the mountain range it is possible to enjoy the panorama of two seas, the Ionian and Tyrrhenian, the Aeolian Islands, the Strait of Messina and Mount Etna.
Two other important monuments to see in Messina are the Annunziata dei Catalani Church and the Tempio Votivo di Cristo Re. The Church of the Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani is a fabulous example of Norman architecture. The church dates from the 12th century when Sicily was under Norman rule and was built on top of the ruins of an older temple dedicated to Neptune. The church displays influences from Arab and Byzantine architecture and also contains Roman elements. It is one of the few structures to have survived the earthquake in 1908 and as a result of the earthquake the church is situated 3 metres below the reconstructed street level. Some say that the church survived with thanks to Neptune, god of the sea, who protected his former temple. For the energetic of you it is a tough walk up to the Tempio Votivo di Cristo Re. Translated in English to Votive Temple of Christ, this catholic church was built in 1900 and the bell chimes the hours in memory of those fallen in all wars. The church is well worth a visit for its spectacular views.
During World War Two the Sicily campaign known as Operation Husky was one of the shortest of the war by the Allies. Messina was a key strategic goal of the Allies. US General George S Patton and his 7th Army arrived in Messina on the 17th August 1943 several hours before British Field Marshal Bernard L Montgomery and his 8th Army, winning the unofficial "Race to Messina" and completing the Allied conquest of Sicily. The Battle of Messina was the greatest Allied defeat over Axis powers during World War Two.
After your sightseeing antics Messina offers excellent shopping opportunities with clothing shops, luxury boutiques, bookshops, homeware, leather goods, ceramics typical of Sicily and souvenir shops.
Messina offers plentiful restaurants and bars in which to indulge in traditional Sicilian cuisine and it is also well known for its street food scene and in particular arancini, a food tour is an excellent addition to your visit where you can try this well known Sicilian fast food snack available in bars and from street food vendors. Arancini are balls of rice that are filled with a ragù sauce or other filling, rolled in breadcrumbs then deep fried. Their round golden shapes resemble oranges (aranci) which is how they got their name. They are said to have originated in 10th century Sicily when under Arab rule. Arancini in Palermo kept their round shape and preserved the Arab roots but in Catania arancini evolved into a conical shape which some say is to represent Mount Etna that rises over the eastern coastline. The arancini is so good in Messina that if I mention that I am visiting there to any Sicilian they will tell you the best place to find the best arancini and it will be a different place every time. The arancini on the ferry to and from Calabria are pretty amazing too. Of course Sicilian street food is best accompanied by a beer and what could be better than a nice cold bottle of Birra Messina? Birra Messina was born in Messina in 1923 and is one of Italys most loved beers. Cheers !!!!!
Further afield other places to visit in the province of Messina are the Nebrodi Mountains which is a National park, Tindari which is home to the sanctuary of the Black Madonna, Milazzo which is the gateway to the Aeolian Islands, The Godfather Movie Locations and of course the beautiful town of Taormina.
Now back to William Shakespeare …..
Did you know that there is a fascinating conspiracy theory that Shakespeare was in fact Sicilian?
Let’s look at the evidence.
A few years ago, a retired schoolteacher Martino Iuvara from Ragusa presented a theory in his book, Shakespeare ere Italiano written in 2002, that William Shakespeare had nothing to do with Stratford-Upon-Avon in England but that he was actually born in Messina on 23rd April 1564 as Michelangelo Florio Crollalanza, the son of Giovanni Florio, a doctor and a noblewoman called Guglielmina Crollalanza. Crolla translates in English to "shake" and lanza to "spear". Guglielmina translates to Wilhelmina the feminine form of William. Shakespeare’s date of birth in English history is known as 23rd April 1564. Michelangelo Florio Crollalanza was educated by Franciscan monks who taught him Latin and history. At the age of fifteen he and his family had supposedly fled to London from Italy in order to escape the Holy Inquisition as they were Calvinist. Martino Iuvara's evidence includes a play written by Michelangelo Florio Crollalanza in Sicilian dialect called Tanto traffico per Niente which can be translated into "Much Traffic for Nothing" or perhaps “Much Ado About Nothing". Much Ado About Nothing was the first play that Shakespeares wrote, maybe he set his first masterpiece in his home town? There are also claims that whilst travelling through Italy that he fell in love with a young girl called Giuletta but that sadly family members opposed the union and that she committed suicide. There are also theories in England that Shakespeare had a slight foreign accent. A coincidence or not? Whatever your thoughts William Shakespeare certainly had a passion with Sicily as he mentions our beloved island in his other plays Julius Caesar, Anthony and Cleopatra and A Comedy of Errors and further more in addition to Much Ado About Nothing he also set another of his plays The Winter's Tale partially on the island. Not bad for someone who supposedly never ever set foot in Italy. What do you think?
Much Ado About Nothing
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Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London
as part of the Summer 2024 programme
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