Explorations of a harbor city where Sicily and mainland Italy meet.
Messina is an ancient city founded by the Ancient Greeks back in the 8th century BCE, then known as Zancle. The Romans gave the city the name of Messina. The city is at one of the most strategic positions in the Mediterranean. This lead to the city being conquered by other empires and bombed during WWII by the Allies. Much of the city had already been damaged by the 1908 earthquake. Today, Messina is a combination of modern buildings and restored older buildings.
Wandering Jana Sant’Antonio, is one of those modern buildings built after the earthquake.
Wandering Jana It’s gorgeous, though.
Wandering Jana Santa Maria dello Spirito Santo. This was my favorite random church with doors open that I walked into in Messina.
Wandering Jana I think this church was rebuilt after the earthquake, but it’s hard to find information about it.
Wandering Jana Absolutely gorgeous, whether it was rebuilt or not.
Wandering Jana Santa Maria del Carmine, an interesting church from the 1930s. It looks like it was built in the 18th century, but there is just something off about it. I can’t put my finger on it.
Wandering Jana Interesting color palette inside as well.
Wandering Jana Love the color of this building.
Wandering Jana A modern building trying to look Tuscan? It has a much more Northern Italian vibe than Sicilian.
Wandering Jana Messina’s gorgeous rebuilt Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. The earthquake of 1908 basically destroyed the church. The tower hosts the largest astronomical clock in the world.
Wandering Jana There is also a pretty fountain in the Piazza del Duomo.
Wandering Jana Gorgeous entryway.
Wandering Jana The cathedral was first built during the Norman period in 1197. The restoration brings out that era.
Wandering Jana The wonderful ceiling was rebuilt after the earthquake and it had to be rebuilt again after WWII bombing almost destroyed the church.
Wandering Jana This marble sculpture/chapel section had to be also rebuilt after WWII.
Wandering Jana I’m glad the reconstruction preserved the Norman fashion of using mosaics in the apses of their churches.
Wandering Jana Gorgeous chapel.
Wandering Jana The altar area is also well done. The back of the apse’s wall survived the 1908 earthquake.
Wandering Jana Behind the cathedral is another gorgeous medieval church, Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani. It was probably built on the ruins of a Greek and Roman temple to Poseidon.
Wandering Jana I wish I could have gotten inside.
Wandering Jana The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele III, an early shopping mall.
Wandering Jana These were popular around Italy early in the 20th century. They all have two intersecting halls with a fantastic dome in the middle.
Wandering Jana Fontana Falconieri. The fountain sits at the base of a very long staircase to a great view of Messina. You can see the stairs behind the fountain.
Wandering Jana Like I said, a great view. The church on the left is Tempio di Cristo Re. I head there next.
Wandering Jana The cathedral and its belltower. Past the water is the mainland of Italy.
Wandering Jana Stele della Madonna della Lettera is at the mouth of the harbor. I had planned to get a bit closer but the weather turned gross later in the day.
Wandering Jana The last three photos were taken in front of Santa Maria di Montalto. I’m now standing near Cristo Re.
Wandering Jana Cristo Re, a church and shrine, built on the ruins of a castle.
Wandering Jana There’s that gross storm coming.
Wandering Jana On the bottom floor of Cristo Re is the final resting place of many Italian soldiers.
Wandering Jana About 1300 soldiers remains are entombed in the church from WWI and WWII.
After Cristo Re, I grabbed some Italian fast food and headed to the Regional Museum of Messina. Nice museum, once all the restoration work is done. I had planned to walk back along the water, but the weather changed my mind.
Check out my next update where I visit the tiny town of Scilla!
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Start at the beginning of this adventure.
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