Messina: a city that’s much more than just the ‘Gate of Sicily’
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Tucked away on the northeastern tip of Sicily, Messina is the island's third-largest city. To be honest, the place never ranked high on my list of must-see destinations in Sicily. Like many travelers, I saw it as a transit point — somewhere to pass through while crossing the Strait of Messina or heading to other parts of the island. But when I finally took the time to stop and explore, I realized that I had missed quite a few interesting sights on my previous trips to Sicily.
Messina doesn't boast the well-preserved historic center you might find in other Sicilian cities. Devastating earthquakes in 1783 and 1908, along with heavy bombing in World War II, wiped out much of its original architecture. As I wandered through the streets, I noticed how these events shaped the city's landscape, with much of it rebuilt in the 20th century.
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Yet, despite its more modern feel, some historical landmarks still offer glimpses of Messina's past. This mix of old and new gives the city a unique character, making it well worth a visit for a day or two. In this post, I'll share the highlights of Messina and the stories that make it such a fascinating place to explore.
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#1 Madonna della Lettera
If you take the ferry to Messina, a golden statue atop a tall column will greet you as you sail into the harbor (Google Maps). The figure represents the Madonna della Lettera (Madonna of the Letter), one of the Catholic Church's names for Mary, the mother of Jesus.
As Messina's patron saint, the Madonna della Lettera appears throughout the city. But what's the story behind her? Let's dive in.
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According to tradition, Saint Paul came to Messina to preach the Gospel and found the people eager to convert. Many soon embraced Christianity. In 42, as Paul was preparing to return to Palestine, a group of Messinians asked to accompany him to meet the Madonna in person. They carried a letter expressing their faith and requesting Mary's protection.
Mary welcomed them and, in response, sent a letter to the people of Messina. She rolled it up and tied it with a strand of her hair. The delegation returned to Messina, bringing back the precious letter. In it, Mary praised their faith, thanked them for their devotion, and promised her eternal protection. She concluded the letter with the prase "Vos et ipsamcictatem benedicimus," which translates to "We bless you and the city." The same phrase appears on the base of the Madonna statue that greets you at the harbor.
And believe it or not, but the Duomo di Messina still keeps the strand of Mary's hair. They display it every year during the lively Corpus Christi celebrations.
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#2 Chiesa Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani
Walking from Messina's port or train station toward the city center, the Chiesa dei Catalani is likely the first monumental structure you'll encounter. Officially known as the Chiesa Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani, this church is a rare survivor of the many disasters that have shaped the city. It also forms a visible reminder of Messina's centuries of reconstruction. As you approach, you'll immediately notice it sits three meters lower than the surrounding rebuilt city.
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Probably built over the ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to Poseidon, the origins of the Chiesa Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani trace back to the Byzantine era.
The structure underwent significant transformations during the Islamic rule of Sicily (9th–11th century), and the old Sicilian-Arabic inscriptions that once adorned the doorposts suggest that the temple became a mosque. Today, the inscriptions are no longer in their original place but are on display in the Museo Regionale Interdisciplinare.
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After the Normans took control of Sicily, they remodeled the church to reflect their architectural style. Yet, instead of erasing the past, they blended it into something new. The result is a fascinating mix of influences — Arab, Byzantine, and even Roman elements. One of the most striking features is the external decoration of the transept and dome, where blind arches and delicate columns clearly reflect Arabic architectural traditions.
Towards the end of the 15th century, with the unification of the Kingdom of Sicily under the only Crown of Spain, Catalan merchants began using the church. From that time on, it became known as the Chiesa Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani.
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The Catalan brotherhood adorned the church with numerous works of art, the most famous being 'Christ Going to Calvary' by Polidoro da Caravaggio. This painting shows Jesus with a shocked, pained expression as He falls under the weight of the cross on His way to Calvary. Unfortunately, the painting is no longer in the church, but you can find it at the National Museum of Capodimonte in Naples.
Despite the absence of the painting, the church's architecture and rich history make it well worth a visit!
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#3 Duomo di Messina
Just a short walk from the Chiesa Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani, you'll find the Basilica Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, or Duomo di Messina. This basilica beautifully showcases Messina's resilience.
In the 6th century, during Byzantine rule in Sicily, the first church was built on this site. However, during the two centuries of the Islamic emirate of Sicily, the building was significantly altered to serve as a mosque.
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When the Normans seized the city in the late 11th century, they ended Islamic rule and brought back Christian worship. Finding the old church in ruins after the Saracens' desecration, they built a new one, ensuring the site remained a place of faith.
Over the centuries, several events destroyed the church, leading to its reconstruction each time. The most recent of these were the earthquakes in 1783 and 1908, which nearly destroyed the entire building, followed by the Allied bombings in 1943. The bombings caused severe damage to the basilica, and the remaining structure burned down afterward.
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The basilica you see today dates back to 1947 but still has some original elements. One of them is the Gothic-style main entrance. Above it, you can see a statue of the Virgin Mary with Jesus in heaven. Slender Gothic columns surround the entrance, with statues of saints interrupting them.
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Once you're inside, the wooden ceiling catches your eye right away. It's a brightly painted replica of the original beam ceiling from the Middle Ages.
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As you wander through the side aisles, you'll spot statues of apostles in Renaissance style. The statue of John the Baptist is the only original one still in place. The others are modern replicas, replacing the originals that were lost in 1943.
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The mosaics in the central apse are also copies of older versions. They depict Christ on a throne, flanked by the archangels Michael and Gabriel. Above the basilica's marble high altar, you'll notice the Madonna della Lettera.
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#4 L'Orologio Astronomico di Messina
Perhaps the Astronomical Clock (Orologio Astronomico) on the basilica's bell tower is even more impressive than the Duomo itself.
In 1933, years after the 1908 earthquake, Messina's archbishop commissioned the Ungerer Company of Strasbourg to (re)construct a new bell tower. The result? One of the largest and most impressive astronomical clocks in the world!
Here's a quick summary of what makes this clock unique. If you want to learn more, check out my separate post on Messina's Orologio Astronomico!
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South Facade
The facade facing the cathedral features two large dials. The lower dial is a perpetual calendar and shows the days and months, with a marble angel pointing to the current date. Above it, the planetarium dial displays the solar system, with planets revolving around the sun at proportional distances. At the top, a large sphere represents the moon, rotating daily to mimic its phases.
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West facade
Now, let's head to the side facing the square. And trust me, you'll want to be standing right here at noon!
After the bells ring, the gilded bronze lion at the top starts to wave its flag, flicks its tail, and roars three times. As the lion's third roar fades, the spectacle continues with the rooster on the level below. The rooster starts flapping its wings, lifts its head, and crows three consecutive times.
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Next, the tower's speakers play Schubert's Ave Maria, and one of the lower frames comes to life. You can see a golden dove fly in circles while a church slowly rises from behind some mountains. This scene tells the story of the founding of the Church of Montalto (I'll get back to this further on).
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Following the appearance of the Church of Montalto, a biblical scene unfolds in the frame above. Which scene you see depends on the time of year, as four different scenes rotate with the liturgical calendar. When I visited, the scene showed the resurrection of Jesus.
The bottom frame isn't part of the afternoon spectacle. Instead, at midnight, when a new day starts, the figures (pagan divinities) in this frame come to life. Each divinity represents a different day and rides in a chariot pulled by a unique animal.
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The mechanical heart of the clock
If you have time, I highly recommend visiting the heart of the Orologio Astronomico. Doing so is especially interesting during the afternoon spectacle.
Climbing the 236 steps, you'll get a close-up look at how all the figures come to life through a complex system of gears, cables, levers, and counterweights.
When you reach the top, the city unfolds before you. On one side, you'll see the Strait of Messina; on the other, the hills. You'll also spot landmarks like the Church of Montalto, the Sacrario di Cristo Re, and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele III.
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#5 Fontana di Orione
Before you leave Piazza Duomo, take a look at the Fontana di Orione (Orion Fountain) that stands proudly in front of the bell tower (Google Maps). Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli, a student of Michelangelo, designed it in 1553 to celebrate Messina's first aqueduct. But the fountain isn't just a tribute to fresh water; it's also connected to the city's mythical origins. Now, before I dive into this story, let me introduce you to Orion (there are a few versions of his story, so I'll stick to the most popular one).
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Orion was the son of the sea-god Poseidon and Euryale, the daughter of Minos, King of Crete. During one of his adventures, he went to Crete and hunted alongside Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. Full of himself, Orion boasted that he'd hunt down and kill every beast on Earth. His arrogance didn't sit well with Gaia, Mother Earth, and she sent a giant scorpion to take him down. The scorpion did its job, and after Orion's death, Zeus stuck both Orion and the scorpion in the sky as constellations — positioning them so one rises as the other sets.
But how is Orion connected to Messina? In his Bibliotheca Historica, ancient Greek historian Diodorus tells the story. He describes how Orion helped Zanclus, the legendary first king of Messina, build the city and its harbor. Because of this, Orion has remained an important symbol of Messina.
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The Fontana di Orione honors this mythical past. At the top, Orion stands, holding a shield in his left hand with Messina's coat of arms on it. He raises his right arm as though he once held a hunting spear with it. Behind him stands his dog, Sirius.
Beneath Orion, four cherubs ride dolphins, with water flowing from their mouths into the basins below (note: the water supply seems to have been shut off for quite some time).
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As the water cascades down, it moves through a series of larger basins, each decorated with mythical creatures tied to water. At the bottom, a large basin features four statues representing the rivers Nile, Tiber, Ebro, and Camaro. The latter is a small stream that feeds the fountain. It's addition forms a tribute to the local water source in Messina.
#6 Fontana del Nettuno
The people of Messina loved the Fountain of Orion so much that the Senate commissioned Montorsoli to design a second one. This one is known as the Fontana del Nettuno, or Fountain of Neptune.
The fountain initially stood at the port, with a large statue of Neptune facing away from the sea. This particular orientation symbolized the god offering the ocean's wealth to Messina. Locals, however, had their own take. Some believed this setup was to mock the people of Calabria on the other side of the Strait, to whom he statue his back.
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Over the years, the fountain underwent quite a few changes and relocations. But in 1934, they relocated it to its current spot in Piazza Unità d'Italia (Google Maps). As part of this relocation, they turned Neptune to face the sea. It forms a tribute to the city's maritime heritage.
Looking at the fountain, you see Neptune as if he's just risen from the waters, invincible, holding his mighty trident. He stands triumphantly over the mythical sea monsters Charybdis and Scylla (more about them in this post), chained at his feet. It's a striking symbol of the city's mastery over adversity and the sea.
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The statue of Scylla you see is a copy, as cannon fire damaged the original in 1848. The original now stands in the Museo Regionale Interdisciplinare, just like the original Neptune statue.
The fountain also features several inscriptions, including Montorsoli's own signature, which you can find engraved on the edge of the octagonal tub.
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#7 Galleria Vittorio Emanuele III
From the Fountain of Neptune, let's go back toward Piazza del Duomo. Just a short walk away, you'll come across the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele III (Google Maps). Built in the 1920s, the Galleria combines Art Nouveau and Art Deco elements, strikingly contrasting the historical monuments I mentioned earlier.
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I'll be honest upfront: Messina's Galleria isn't as grand as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan or the Galleria Umberto I in Naples. The original plan for the Galleria was to serve as a hub for offices and residences. Today, though, it's filled with a fast-food restaurant and a few bars. Personally, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, like it's not living up to its full potential. However, from an architectural perspective, I'd still say the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele III is worth a visit.
Looking out over Piazza Antonello, an elegantly decorated arch marks the Galleria's main entrance. Upon stepping inside, you'll find the building unfolding into three arms that meet in the middle under a stunning glass dome. The mosaic floors add a touch of luxury, and the stained glass vaults above fill the space with a soft, colorful glow.
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#8 Santuario Madonna di Montalto
Remember the scene with the golden dove and the church that appears on the facade of the Orologio Astronomico? Earlier, I described how it brings to life the story of the Santuario Madonna di Montalto, or Church of Montalto. Let me tell you more about it.
The Santuario Madonna di Montalto rises atop Caperrina Hill, living up to its name — "monte alto" means "high mountain" in Italian. Starting at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele III, it's a 15-minute uphill walk to the Santuario. And even if churches aren't your thing, the view at the top will make the climb worthwhile.
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The church honors the Madonna, who, according to legend, appeared on the battlefield during the War of the Vespers to protect Messina from the French forces. The Madonna, disguised as a white lady, deflected the arrows of the enemy archers. She also cloaked the fortress walls in her white robes, making them invisible to the enemy.
In 1294, years after the war, the Madonna appeared in a dream to a friar, telling him to build a church in her name. She instructed him to go to Caperrina Hill, where a white dove would mark the church's perimeter the next day. The following day, at noon, the friar watched as a white dove flew over three times, its flight tracing the outline of the church. Inspired by this sign, the Messina Senate decided to buy the land and build the church.
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After the devastating earthquake in 1908, the church was rebuilt three years later, marking a new chapter in its history. In 1929, the Colbachini foundry in Padua cast 25 large bells for the newly restored church. The bronze for the bells came from cannons captured during World War I. Each bell proudly bears the inscription, "Fused with bronze taken from the enemy 1915/18."
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#9 Tempio di Cristo Re
From the square in front of the Santuario Madonna di Montalto, you can already see the next monumental structure I want to highlight: the Tempio di Cristo Re.
The Tempio di Cristo Re is another hilltop church, but it dominates Messina's skyline even more than the Church of Montalto. Built in the 20th century, it stands where the medieval Castle of Matagriffone once stood. This former fortress is tied to Richard I of England — better known as Richard the Lionheart.
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On his way to the Holy Land for the Third Crusade, Richard stopped in Messina in September 1190. His troops caused quite a stir, and the locals, upset by their presence, rioted and demanded they leave. In response, Richard seized the city and set up camp in a wooden fortress on a rocky hill near the historic center. He reinforced the structure, later known as the Castle of Matagriffone. This name comes from the Latin "mateare" (to kill) and "griffone", a derogatory term used for Messina's Greek-descended population.
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Richard didn't stay in Messina for long — he set sail for the Holy Land in April 1191 to join the Third Crusade. As for the castle, there's not much left besides its octagonal tower. The old tower will immediately catch your eye when approaching the Tempio di Cristo Re. It now houses a massive bell cast from bronze from cannons captured during World War I, just like the bells at the Santuario Madonna di Montalto.
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Next to the tower, on the entrance staircase, the statue of Christ the King (Cristo Re) welcomes you. As you make your way up and enter the church, you find yourself in the lower temple. The first thing that stands out is the row of columns surrounding a marble sarcophagus with a soldier's figure on it. Take a look around, and you'll also notice hundreds of plaques on the walls, each holding the remains of soldiers from both world wars. I found it intriguing how the interior combines both a place of worship and a war memorial.
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After visiting the church, take a moment to enjoy one of the best panoramic views of Messina (especially stunning at sunset!). On a clear day, you can spot the Piloni dello Stretto (Google Maps) in the distance. These two steel towers, which still stand today, carried a 220-kilovolt power line across the Strait of Messina from 1955 to 1994. They also held the record for the longest span of any hydroelectric crossing, stretching 3,646 meters!
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#10 Museo Regionale Interdisciplinare
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#11 Trip to Savoca
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