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Messina

Coordinates: 38°11′37″N 15°33′15″E / 38.19361°N 15.55417°E / 38.19361; 15.55417
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(Redirected from Messana)
This article is about the city in Sicily, Italy. For other uses, see Messina (disambiguation).

Messina
Missina (Sicilian)
Μεσσήνη (Greek)[1]
Comune
Comune di Messina
Flag of Messina
Flag
Coat of arms of Messina
Coat of arms
Position of the commune in the Metropolitan City
Position of the commune in the Metropolitan City
Location of Messina
Map
Messina is located in Italy
Messina
Messina
Location of Messina in Italy
Messina is located in Sicily
Messina
Messina
Messina (Sicily)
Coordinates: 38°11′37″N 15°33′15″E / 38.19361°N 15.55417°E / 38.19361; 15.55417
CountryItaly
RegionSicily
Metropolitan cityMessina (ME)
Government
 • MayorFederico Basile
Area
[2]
 • Total
213.23 km2 (82.33 sq mi)
Elevation
3 m (10 ft)
Population
 (2025)[3]
 • Total
216,918
 • Density1,000/km2 (2,600/sq mi)
DemonymMessinese
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
98100
Dialing code090
ISTAT code083048
Patron saintMadonna of the Letter
Saint dayJune 3
WebsiteOfficial website

Messina (/mɛˈsiːnə/ mess-EE-nə, US also /mɪˈ-/ miss-;[4][5][6] Italian: [mesˈsiːna] ⓘ; Sicilian: Missina [mɪsˈsiːna]; Greek: Μεσσήνη)[a] is a harbour city and the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of 216,918 inhabitants in the city proper and about 595,948 in the metropolitan city as of 2025.[3] It is located near the northeast corner of Sicily, at the Strait of Messina and it is an important access terminal to Calabria region, Villa San Giovanni, Reggio Calabria on the mainland. According to Eurostat[7] the FUA of the metropolitan area of Messina has, in 2014, 277,584 inhabitants. The city's main resources are its seaports (commercial and military shipyards), cruise tourism, commerce, and agriculture (wine production and cultivating lemons, oranges, mandarin oranges, and olives). The city has been a Roman Catholic Archdiocese and Archimandrite seat since 1548 and is home to a locally important international fair. The city has the University of Messina, founded in 1548 by Ignatius of Loyola.

History

[edit]
See also: Timeline of Messina
13th-century coins minted during the reign of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, in Messina.

Founded by Greek colonists of Magna Graecia in the 8th century BC, Messina was originally called Zancle (Ancient Greek: Ζάγκλη), from the Greek ζάγκλον meaning "scythe" because of the shape of its natural harbour (though a legend attributes the name to King Zanclus). A comune of its Metropolitan City, located at the southern entrance of the Strait of Messina, is to this day called 'Scaletta Zanclea'. Solinus wrote that the city of Metauros was established by people from Zancle.[8]

In the early 5th century BC Anaxilas of Rhegium renamed it Messene (Μεσσήνη) in honour of the Greek city Messene (See also List of traditional Greek place names). Later, Micythus was the ruler of Rhegium and Zancle, and he also founded the city of Pyxus.[9] The city was sacked in 397 BC by the Carthaginians and then reconquered by Dionysius I of Syracuse.

In 288 BC the Mamertines seized the city by treachery, killing all the men and taking the women as their wives. The city became a base from which they ravaged the countryside, leading to a conflict with the expanding regional empire of Syracuse. Hiero II, tyrant of Syracuse, defeated the Mamertines near Mylae on the Longanus River and besieged Messina. Carthage assisted the Mamertines because of a long-standing conflict with Syracuse over dominance in Sicily. When Hiero attacked a second time in 264 BC, the Mamertines petitioned the Roman Republic for an alliance, hoping for more reliable protection. Although initially reluctant to assist lest it encourage other mercenary groups to mutiny, Rome was unwilling to see Carthaginian power spread further over Sicily and encroach on Italy. Rome, therefore, entered into an alliance with the Mamertines. In 264 BC, Roman troops were deployed to Sicily, the first time a Roman army acted outside the Italian Peninsula. At the end of the First Punic War it was a free city allied with Rome. In Roman times Messina, then known as Messana, had an important pharos (lighthouse). Messana was the base of Sextus Pompeius, during his war against Octavian.[citation needed]

17th century map of Messina

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire the city was successively ruled by Goths from 476, then by the Byzantine Empire in 535, by the Arabs in 842, and in 1061 by the Norman brothers Robert Guiscard and Roger Guiscard (later count Roger I of Sicily). 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, who had been married to William the Good, King of Sicily.

One of the major cities on Sicily, Messina was heavily involved in the rivalry between the Anjou dynasty in Naples and the Aragonese House of Barcelona. Initially a stronghold of Anjou support on Sicily, in 1282 the city joined the revolt of the Sicilian Vespers, resulting in the city being subjected to a major siege by Charles I of Anjou. Messina remained a major naval base for the remainder of the ensuing twenty-year War of the Sicilian Vespers, and was besieged a second time in 1302. In 1345 Orlando d'Aragona, the illegitimate son of Frederick II of Sicily was the strategos of Messina.[citation needed]

In 1347 Messina was one of the first points of entry for the black death into Western Europe. Genoese galleys travelling from the infected city of Kaffa carried plague into the Messina ports. Kaffa had been infected via Asian trade routes and the siege of Kaffa from infected Mongol armies led by Janibeg; it was a departure point for many Italian merchants who fled the city to Sicily. Contemporary accounts from Messina tell of the arrival of "Death Ships" from the East, which floated to shore with all the passengers on board already dead or dying of plague. Plague-infected rats probably also came aboard these ships. The black death ravaged Messina and rapidly spread northward into mainland Italy from Sicily in the following few months.[citation needed]

An image of the 1908 Messina earthquake aftermath. Ruins of the Duomo.

In 1548 St. Ignatius founded there the first Jesuit college in the world, which later gave birth to the Studium Generale (the current University of Messina).[10] The Christian ships that won the Battle of Lepanto (1571) left from Messina: the Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes, who took part in the battle, recovered for some time in the Grand Hospital. The city reached the peak of its splendour in the early 17th century, under Spanish domination: at the time it was one of the ten greatest cities in Europe.[citation needed]

Greek minority of Messina flag

In 1674 the city rebelled against the foreign garrison. It managed to remain independent for some time, thanks to the help of the French king Louis XIV, but in 1678, with the Peace of Nijmegen, it was reconquered by the Spaniards and sacked: the university, the senate and all the privileges of autonomy it had enjoyed since the Roman times were abolished. A massive fortress was built by the occupants and Messina decayed steadily. In 1743, 48,000 died of a second wave of plague in the city.[11]

In 1783 an earthquake devastated much of the city, and it took decades to rebuild and rekindle the cultural life of Messina. In 1847 it was one of the first cities in Italy where Risorgimento riots broke out. In 1848 it rebelled openly against the reigning Bourbons, but was heavily suppressed again. Only in 1860, after the Battle of Milazzo, the Garibaldine troops occupied the city. One of the main figures of the unification of Italy, Giuseppe Mazzini, was elected deputy at Messina in the general elections of 1866. Another earthquake of less intensity damaged the city on 16 November 1894. The city was almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake and associated tsunami on the morning of 28 December 1908, killing about 100,000 people and destroying most of the ancient architecture. The city was largely rebuilt in the following year.[citation needed] However, thousands of residents displaced by the earthquake lived in shanty towns outside the city until the late 1930s, when further reconstruction finally commenced.

It incurred further damage from the massive Allied air bombardments of 1943; before and during the Allied invasion of Sicily. 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 air forces, which dropped some 6,500 tons of bombs in the span of a few months.[12] These raids destroyed one-third of the city, and caused 854 deaths among the population.[13] The city was awarded a Gold Medal of Military Valor and one for Civil Valor by the Italian government in memory of the event and the subsequent effort of reconstruction.[14]

In June 1955 Messina was the location of the Messina Conference of Western European foreign ministers which led to the creation of the European Economic Community.[15] The conference was held mainly in Messina's City Hall building (it), and partly in nearby Taormina.

The city is home to a small Greek-speaking minority, which arrived from the Peloponnese between 1533 and 1534 when fleeing the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. They were officially recognised in 2012.[16]

Geography

[edit]

Territory

[edit]
Lago di Ganzirri
Natural Reserve Capo Peloro
A tract of around 30 kilometres of beaches of Messina

Located in the north-eastern corner of Sicily, on the western shore of the Strait of Messina (Ionian Sea)— altitude 3 meters above sea level[17]— it extends for 213.75 km² of municipal surface. Its extension on the coast (56 km from the coast of Giampilieri to the south to that of Orto Liuzzo to the north), which makes it the "longest" and most maritime city in Italy.[18]

The municipality is located 96 km from Catania[19] and 223 km from Palermo[20], squeezed between the Ionian and Tyrrhenian coasts and the Peloritani mountains, it overlooks with its large natural, military and commercial port, closed by the sickle-shaped peninsula of San Raineri, in front of Villa San Giovanni and a little further north than Reggio Calabria. Cape Peloro, in the northern part of the city, is instead opposite Scylla. In these waters is located the myth of Scylla and Charybdis[21], whose whirlpools are compared to the punishment of the souls of hell that go round and round and collide eternally ("qui la gente riddi" in Sicilian).

As the wave over Charybdis, / that breaks with the one it bumps into, / so must people laugh here.

— (Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, Canto VII of the Inferno.

An era of the Neogene, a fraction of the upper Miocene, a period known as the one in which the Mediterranean increased its salinity following the closing of the Strait of Gibraltar, takes the name of Messinian from the discovery in Messina of its characteristic rocks, the evaporites[22];

From sea level, within the same municipality, it is possible to climb up to 1,127 meters above sea level[17], via the hills overlooking the city, to Mount Dinnammare, from the Latin "bimaris", two seas. From here the view extends over the two seas of the city, the Ionian, the Strait of Messina and the Tyrrhenian. To the east, the entire city of Messina can be seen, while across the sea Calabria from its southernmost point to Capo Vaticano, in the province of Vibo Valentia. To the south, the imposing view of Mount Etna is clearly visible. To the northwest, the Aeolian Islands and the Tyrrhenian coast with Capo Milazzo, Capo Tindari and Capo Calavà in Gioiosa Marea[17].

The city develops mainly in a longitudinal direction along the coast of the strait without interruption from Giampilieri Marina to Capo Peloro for 32 km[23] in the Ionian strip. The Tyrrhenian strip, 24 km long,[23] extends from Capo Peloro to Ponte Gallo. The central urban area, which can be enclosed between the Annunziata and San Filippo streams, now covered by the road surface, is about 12 km long, with little inclination towards the west due to the hilly buttresses of the Peloritani, which prevent the development of a large geometric urban network in that direction. The extreme proximity of the mountains gives the western part of the city a certain slope, overcome with steps and crossed by the panoramic ring road located upstream. There are numerous "urban intrusions" towards the interior, corresponding to the short plains of the streams, which tend to incorporate as districts some of the oldest farmhouses in the city territory, the so-called "Villaggi", currently 48.[24]

Climate

[edit]

Messina has a subtropical Mediterranean climate with long, hot summers with low diurnal temperature variation and consistently dry weather. In winter, Messina is rather wet and mild. Diurnals remain low and remain averaging above 10 °C (50 °F) lows even during winter. It is rather rainier than Reggio Calabria on the other side of the Messina Strait, a remarkable climatic difference for such a small distance.

Climate data for Messina, elevation: 59 m or 194 ft, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1909–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 24.6
(76.3) 		25.8
(78.4) 		32.0
(89.6) 		29.6
(85.3) 		33.6
(92.5) 		43.4
(110.1) 		43.6
(110.5) 		41.8
(107.2) 		40.5
(104.9) 		36.4
(97.5) 		29.2
(84.6) 		26.6
(79.9) 		43.6
(110.5)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 14.8
(58.6) 		15.0
(59.0) 		16.9
(62.4) 		19.4
(66.9) 		23.4
(74.1) 		27.8
(82.0) 		30.9
(87.6) 		31.4
(88.5) 		27.8
(82.0) 		24.0
(75.2) 		19.8
(67.6) 		16.2
(61.2) 		22.3
(72.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 12.4
(54.3) 		12.3
(54.1) 		14.0
(57.2) 		16.2
(61.2) 		20.0
(68.0) 		24.2
(75.6) 		27.2
(81.0) 		27.8
(82.0) 		24.4
(75.9) 		20.9
(69.6) 		17.1
(62.8) 		13.7
(56.7) 		19.2
(66.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 10.1
(50.2) 		9.7
(49.5) 		11.3
(52.3) 		13.3
(55.9) 		16.9
(62.4) 		21.1
(70.0) 		24.0
(75.2) 		24.7
(76.5) 		21.4
(70.5) 		18.3
(64.9) 		14.6
(58.3) 		11.4
(52.5) 		16.4
(61.5)
Record low °C (°F) 0.2
(32.4) 		−0.1
(31.8) 		−0.2
(31.6) 		4.3
(39.7) 		7.5
(45.5) 		12.4
(54.3) 		15.3
(59.5) 		14.4
(57.9) 		12.5
(54.5) 		7.5
(45.5) 		5.1
(41.2) 		0.8
(33.4) 		−0.2
(31.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 118.5
(4.67) 		92.4
(3.64) 		94.0
(3.70) 		65.5
(2.58) 		37.1
(1.46) 		32.1
(1.26) 		19.8
(0.78) 		29.9
(1.18) 		91.8
(3.61) 		114.1
(4.49) 		126.9
(5.00) 		127.3
(5.01) 		949.3
(37.37)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 10.9 9.9 8.9 6.9 4.3 2.8 2.0 2.3 7.4 7.9 10.7 11.7 85.8
Average relative humidity (%) 74.1 71.9 71.3 70.9 69.1 68.3 68.1 68.8 71.4 73.9 74.7 74.0 71.4
Average dew point °C (°F) 7.6
(45.7) 		6.7
(44.1) 		8.1
(46.6) 		10.1
(50.2) 		13.2
(55.8) 		15.8
(60.4) 		19.5
(67.1) 		20.7
(69.3) 		18.5
(65.3) 		15.8
(60.4) 		12.0
(53.6) 		8.9
(48.0) 		13.1
(55.5)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 142.6 153.2 207.7 222.0 277.5 300.0 334.2 314.0 231.9 199.0 150.9 126.5 2,659.5
Source 1: NOAA,[25] (Dew point for 1981-2010)[26]
Source 2: Temperature estreme in Toscana[27]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1861104,082—    
1871112,561+8.1%
1881126,832+12.7%
1901147,654+16.4%
1911128,178−13.2%
1921177,274+38.3%
1931179,994+1.5%
1936192,051+6.7%
YearPop.±%
1951220,590+14.9%
1961254,538+15.4%
1971250,519−1.6%
1981260,118+3.8%
1991231,693−10.9%
2001252,026+8.8%
2011243,262−3.5%
2021221,246−9.1%
Source: ISTAT[28][29]

Government

[edit]
See also: List of mayors of Messina
Zanca Palace, the town hall of Messina

The Mayor of Messina is an elected politician who, along with the Messina's City Council, is accountable for the strategic government of Messina. According to the Italian Constitution, the Mayor of Messina is member of the City Council. The Mayor is elected by the population of Messina, who also elects the members of the City Council, controlling the Mayor's policy guidelines and is able to enforce his resignation by a motion of no confidence. The Mayor is entitled to appoint and release the members of his government.

Since 1994 the Mayor is elected directly by Messina's electorate: in all mayoral elections in Italy in cities with a population higher than 15,000 the voters express a direct choice for the mayor or an indirect choice voting for the party of the candidate's coalition. If no candidate receives at least 50% of votes, the top two candidates go to a second round after two weeks. The election of the City Council is based on a direct choice for the candidate with a preference vote: the candidate with the majority of the preferences is elected. The number of the seats for each party is determined proportionally.

Main sights

[edit]
Panorama of the Messina Strait seen from Messina towards the Italian mainland. Reggio Calabria is visible on the right.

Religious architecture

[edit]
Cathedral of Messina.
Church of the Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani.
The extant octagonal tower of the 11th century Matagrifone Castle and the Cristo Re sanctuary
  • The cathedral (12th century), containing the remains of the king Conrad, ruler of Germany and Sicily in the 13th century. The building had to be almost entirely rebuilt in 1919–20, following the devastating 1908 earthquake, and again in 1943, after a fire triggered by Allied bombings. The original Norman structure can be recognised in the apsidal area. The façade has three late Gothic portals, the central of which probably dates back to the early 15th century. The architrave is decorated with a sculpture of Christ Among the Evangelists and various representations of men, animals and plants. The tympanum dates back to 1468. The interior is organised in a nave and two equally long aisles divided by files of 28 columns. Some decorative elements belong the original building, although the mosaics in the apse are reconstructions. Tombs of illustrious men besides Conrad IV include those of Archbishops Palmer (died in 1195), Guidotto de Abbiate (14th century) and Antonio La Legname (16th century). Special interest is held by the Chapel of the Sacrament (late 16th century), with scenic decorations and 14th-century mosaics. The bell tower holds the Messina astronomical clock, one of the largest astronomical clocks in the world, built-in 1933 by the Ungerer Company of Strasbourg. The belfry's mechanically animated statues, which illustrate events from the civil and religious history of the city every day at noon, are a popular tourist attraction.
  • The Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Carmelo (near the Courthouse), built-in 1931, contains a 17th-century statue of the Virgin Mary. See also Chiesa del Carmine.
  • The Sanctuary of Montevergine, where the incorrupt body of Saint Eustochia Smeralda Calafato is preserved.
  • The Church of the Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani (late 12th–13th century). Dating from the late Norman period, it was transformed in the 13th century when the nave was shortened and the façade added. It has a cylindrical apse and a high dome emerging from a high tambour. Noteworthy is the external decoration of the transept and the dome area, with a series of blind arches separated by small columns, clearly reflecting Arabic architectural influences.
  • The Church of Santa Maria degli Alemanni (early 13th century), which was formerly a chapel of the Teutonic Knights. It is a rare example of pure Gothic architecture in Sicily, as is witnessed by the arched windows and shapely buttresses.

Civil and military architecture

[edit]
Fountain of Orion in Piazza Duomo
Porta Grazia
  • The Botanical Garden Pietro Castelli of the University of Messina.
  • The Palazzo Calapaj-d'Alcontresj, an example of 18th-century Messinese architecture which is one of the few noble palazzi to have survived the 1908 earthquake.
  • The Forte del Santissimo Salvatore, a 16th-century fort in the Port of Messina.
  • The Forte Gonzaga, a 16th-century fort overlooking Messina.
  • The Porta Grazia, 17th-century gate of the "Real Cittadella di Messina", by Domenico Biundo and Antonio Amato, a fortress still existing in the harbour.
  • The Pylon, built in 1957 together with a twin located across the Strait of Messina, to carry a 220 kV overhead power line bringing electric power to the island. At the time of their construction, the two electric pylons were the highest in the world. The power line has since been replaced by an underwater cable, but the pylon still stands as a freely accessible tourist attraction.
  • The San Ranieri lighthouse, built in 1555.
  • The Palazzo della Provincia (Palazzo dei Leoni), provincial Seat, built in 1914 by Alessandro Giunta.
  • The Palace of Culture, built in 2009.

Monuments

[edit]
  • The Fountain of Orion, a monumental civic sculpture located next to the cathedral, built in 1547 by Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli, student of Michelangelo, with a Neoplatonic-alchemical program. It was considered by art historian Bernard Berenson "the most beautiful fountain of the sixteenth century in Europe".
  • The Fountain of Neptune, looking towards the harbour, built by Montorsoli in 1557.
  • The monument to John of Austria, by Andrea Camalech (1572)
  • The Senatory Fountain, built in 1619.
  • The Four Fountains, though only two elements of the four-cornered complex survive today.
  • LaFenice, a sculpture on Piazza della Memoria

Museums

[edit]

Culture

[edit]

Cuisine

[edit]
Pitoni, a common dish in Messina

The specialities of Messina's cuisine[30] are fish and seafood dishes: swordfish, stockfish, mussels, saury, neonata and tuna. Meat-based dishes include braciole (a unique cut different from the rest of Italy) and falsomagro. Typical Messina desserts include: pignolata glazeata, bianco e nero, ricotta, cannoli with a chocolate variant, and cassata siciliana. Also typical are focaccia messinese (curly escarole, desalted anchovies, black pepper and tuma cheese), pane alla disgraziata[31][32] rustici (arancini, pidoni, mozzarella in carrozza and puff pastry) and granita, in various flavours (strawberry, lemon, almond, mulberry, chocolate, pistachio and, very popular, coffee granita with cream) accompanied by the traditional brioche.

The traditional dishes linked to the various liturgical celebrations are: pidoni (a type of calzone filled with curly white escarole, salted anchovies and scamorza cheese, prepared on the Feast of the Annunciation, 25 March, but also on many other occasions, for example, St. Joseph's Day, Easter Monday, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Christmas Eve, St. Stephen's Day). U ciusceddu (a dish made with minced beef, veal bones, fresh ricotta, eggs, breadcrumbs, Majorcan cheese, tomatoes, onion, celery and parsley), was usually prepared on Easter Sunday and pasta 'ncaciata (the ingredients for the preparation are: beef, a young chicken, livers, minced lean beef, eggs, Sant'Angelo di Brolo salami, scamorza, mature pecorino cheese, breadcrumbs, aubergines, tomato sauce, onion, short smooth pasta, parsley, basil, lard, salt and ground black pepper). This typical dish was usually prepared on 15 August, the feast of the Assumption, a very popular celebration in the city of Messina where the Vara is carried in procession, a majestic votive machine in the shape of a pyramid, about 14 metres high and weighing about 8 tons.

Universities

[edit]
University of Messina

The University of Messina (Latin: Studiorum Universitas Messanae), known colloquially as UniME, is a state university located in Messina. Founded in 1548 by Pope Paul III, it was the world's first Jesuit college,[33] and today it is counted among the oldest universities in Italy. It is organized in 12 departments offering more than 80 Graduate and Undergraduate Degrees, over 20 Master's Degrees and 13 PhD Programmes. Among them, 7 are English-taught. The University counts more than 23.000 students distributed in the 4 campus facilities spread across the city.[34]

Over the centuries the University of Messina has been a centre of attraction for esteemed scholars and historical figures, such as Giovanni Pascoli, Marcello Malpighi, Gaetano Salvemini and Vittorio Emanuele Orlando. The Central Administration Buildings and the Faculties of Economics, Political Science, Law and Education are located in the centre of Messina in the historical site of the University or Polo Centrale.

The Faculty of Medicine is held in the main hospital of the city, Policlinico G. Martino, situated in the southern area of Messina.[35] The Faculties of Sciences and Engineering are located inside Polo Papardo, overlooking the famous Strait of Messina. The Faculties of Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy and Humanities are established in the Polo Annunziata facility, which is also the Sport Centre of the University.

Economy

[edit]

Agriculture, fishing and livestock

[edit]
The Felucca, a typical boat used by the fishermen of Messina to hunt swordfish

Particularly important in the past, when it included highly prized derivative products such as silk and citrus products, agriculture still plays an important role in the economy of Messina today.

Agricultural and livestock activities are still practiced today in the countryside of the villages of the municipality of Messina. Among the agricultural products, the following stand out:

  • Citrus fruits (lemon, orange, mandarin, clementine)
  • Vines, from which excellent red and white wines are produced, including the DOC Faro[36]
  • Beer, where the Birra DOC 15 and the Birra dello Stretto have been produced since 2016 in the new Messina brewery.[37]

Also widespread is the breeding of various types of red meat animals, especially sheep, whose meat is traditionally eaten in the city cooked in a wood oven, but above all cattle whose entrails are roasted on the grill and also sold on the street, a dish that in the Messina dialect is called: taiuni, virina and paddi i boi[38]. Fresh milk is used for the production of:

Crafts and industry

[edit]

The secondary sector is not particularly developed in the city, where it is (and was) focused on medium-sized industries, in various locations:

Regional Industrial Zone (ZIR), in the southern part of the city, there were activities such as grain milling, production of food products, prefabricated buildings, furniture, etc.[39] The hub for the artisanal development of Larderia, also in the southern part of the city. Numerous medium-sized artisanal activities are based there, with high-quality production (companies in the food sector, furniture, prefabricated and building materials).[40] A separate chapter is instead the shipbuilding sector, alive and present in the sickle-shaped area of the city port, home to the Rodriquez shipyards (now Intermarine) and the Palumbo shipyards

Tertiary

[edit]
Port of Messina

The tertiary sector is, historically, the "driving sector" of the city's economy. This is partly due to the presence of the Port of Messina, which in the past was an important export hub for local products (wine, silk, and above all, citrus products)[41] and is still today an important goods hub (in particular, raw materials and materials processed by/for the processing industries of the area).

Tourism

[edit]
Cruise ship in the Port of Messina.

The tourism sector has developed with the annual presence of cruise passengers in the city, reviving Messina from a serious crisis in the sector due to the proximity of the major attractions of Taormina and the Aeolian Islands (which make the metropolitan city the second most visited in Southern Italy after Naples and the first in Sicily). In 2017, 367,269 cruise passengers disembarked at the city's port, in 2024 650,000.[42]

With the necessary distinctions between tourists and non-tourists, the statistics show the tourism sector in clear growth compared to past years, especially with regard to the presence of foreign tourists, thanks to the artistic attractions (historical center and monuments, Regional Museum with works by Antonello and Caravaggio) and naturalistic attractions (Capo Peloro, Lake Ganzirri, Peloritani mountains).

The seaside sector is particularly lively, especially along the coasts of the northern area, around Capo Peloro (the closest point to the Calabrian coast, where the lighthouse stands), which overlook the Ionian Sea (and therefore the Strait) and the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Transport

[edit]

Roads

[edit]
Autostrada A18 Messina-Catania

The Messina motorway ring road is part of the Autostrada A20 Messina-Palermo[43] which crosses the urban area from the south to the central-northern area. There are 7 junctions: Messina sud Tremestieri, Messina San Filippo, Messina Gazzi, Messina Centro, Messina Boccetta, Messina Giostra-Annunziata, Messina nord Villafranca. The city is also served by the Autostrada A18 Messina-Catania.

Railways

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Messina Centrale railway station

The new Messina Centrale station building was projected following the modern criteria of the futurist architect Angiolo Mazzoni, and is extended through the stations square. It is at almost contiguous with Messina Marittima station, located by the port and constituting a Ferry transport in the Strait of Messina to Villa San Giovanni station across the Strait of Messina.[44] In 2021 the harbor of Messina was the busiest passenger port in Europe with over 8.232.000 passenger crossings in one year.[45]

The station is electrified and served by regional trains. For long-distance transport it counts some InterCity and ICN night trains to Rome, linking it also with Milan, Turin, Venice, Genoa, Bologna, Florence, and other cities. It is also part of the projected Berlin–Palermo railway axis.

Since 2010, a suburban train service has been carried out along the Messina-Catania-Syracuse railway with routes serving the stations of Fiumara Gazzi, Contesse, Tremestieri, Mili Marina, Galati, Ponte Santo Stefano, Ponte Schiavo, San Paolo and Giampilieri.[46]

Bus and tram

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Tram no T11

Messina's public bus system is operated by ATM Messina:[47] starting from 8 October 2018, has reorganized the offer of public transport, introducing a bus line (line 1 - Shuttle 100) which with a frequency of approx. 15 minutes, it crosses 38 of the total 50 km of the coast of the City of Messina. Thus, a comb service is created, with interchange stops at which the buses to and from the villages terminate, and with the tram which reaches a frequency of about 20 minutes.[48] About 36 different routes reach every part of the city and also the modern Messina tramway[49] (at "Repubblica" stop, on station's square), opened in 2003. This line is 7.7 kilometres (4.8 mi) and links the city's central railway station with the city centre and harbour.

The industrial plan provides for the purchase of about 66 buses in the three-year period 2020–2022 to improve the environmental performance and comfort of the fleet. Furthermore, the resources equal to 1.82 million euros, coming from the PON Metro 2014-2020 will allow:

  • Installation of the AVM system on the vehicles;
  • Installation of turnstiles on electric buses;
  • Implementation of the electronic ticketing system;
  • Installation of electronic poles.[50][51]

Strait of Messina Bridge

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Cross-sectional diagram of the Strait of Messina Bridge

The Strait of Messina Bridge is a proposed 3.6-kilometre (2.2 mi) suspension bridge across the Strait of Messina, connecting Torre Faro in Sicily with Villa San Giovanni on the Italian peninsula.[52]

While a bridge across the Strait of Messina had been proposed since ancient times, the first detailed plan was made in the 1990s for a suspension bridge. The project was cancelled in 2006 under prime minister Romano Prodi.[53] On 6 March 2009, as part of a massive new public works programme, prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's government announced that construction of the Messina Bridge would indeed go ahead, pledging €1.3 billion as a contribution to the total cost, estimated at €6.1 billion.[54] The project was cancelled again on 26 February 2013, by prime minister Mario Monti's government, due to budget constraints.[55] A decade later, the project was revived again with a decree by Giorgia Meloni's government, on 16 March 2023,[56] which received presidential approval on 31 March 2023.[57][58]

If fully approved and built, it will be the longest suspension bridge in the world. The bridge would be part of the Berlin–Palermo railway axis (Line 1) of the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T). Construction is set to begin in April 2025, with completion expected in 2032.[59]

Sport

[edit]
Stadio San Filippo
Lancia Stratos won the 1st edition of International Rally of Messina in 1979

Associazioni Calcio Riunite Messina is a football club based in Messina, that competes in the Serie C, the third tier of the Italian football league system.he origins of the team go back to 1900, when Messina F.C. was founded in the city. The club has spent most of its existence in the lower Italian football leagues. They last competed in Serie B in 2007–08, which followed three consecutive seasons in Serie A. In July 2008, Messina were excluded from professional football due to financial issues, being later registered into amateur Serie D.

The farthest Messina has reached in the Coppa Italia is the last 16. This was achieved in the 2000s decade. In the past, they have also reached the semi-finals in the Coppa Italia Serie C.[60] Messina have appeared in the Italy's top league, Serie A, for a total of five seasons. The club's first spell in the league was in the 1960s; the second began in the 2000s decade. The highest ever position they have finished is 7th,[61] which happened during the 2004–05 season.

International Rally of Messina was a former rally competition that was held in Messina. The event was held for 26 editions, from 1979 to 2004 and was part of the European Rally Championship schedule and the Italian national rally championship. Many of Italian top drivers for several years fought for the Italian title, because the rally was one of the last race of the season, and often decisive. Among the winners are remembered Andrea Aghini, Franco Cunico and Piero Liatti.

Notable people

[edit]
See also: Category:People from Messina
Maria Grazia Cucinotta
Antonello da Messina
Vincenzo Nibali

List of notable people from Messina or connected to Messina, listed by career and then in alphabetical order by last name.

Actors

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Artists and designers

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Politicians, civil service, military

[edit]

Musicians, composers

[edit]

Religion

[edit]

Sport

[edit]

Researchers, academics

[edit]

Others

[edit]

Literary references

[edit]
The statue of the personification of Messina

Numerous writers set their works in Messina, including:

Twin Towns

[edit]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Latin: Messana; Ancient Greek: Μεσσήνη, romanized: Messḗnē.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Delimiting the territory of the Greek linguistic minority of Messina" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 September 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  2. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Monthly Demographic Balance". ISTAT.
  4. ^ "Messina" (US) and "Messina". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Messina". Collins English Dictionary. HarperCollins. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
  6. ^ "Messina". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.). HarperCollins. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  7. ^ "Population on 1 January by age groups and sex - functional urban areas [urb_lpop1]". Eurostat. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  8. ^ Solinus, Polyhistor, 2.10
  9. ^ Diodorus Siculus, Library, § 11.59.1
  10. ^ Campione, Giuseppe (2003). La composizione visiva del luogo: appunti di geografia immediata (in Italian). Rubbettino Editore. ISBN 978-88-498-0663-2.
  11. ^ "Epidemiology of the Black Death and Successive Waves of Plague" by Samuel K Cohn JR. Medical History.
  12. ^ La Piazza Marittima di Messina (1939-1943)
  13. ^ Proposta l’istituzione di una "giornata della memoria" degli 854 messinesi morti sotto i bombardamenti del ‘43
  14. ^ Presidenza della Repubblica
  15. ^ "The Messina Declaration 1955 final document of The Conference of Messina 1 to 3 June 1955 – birth of the European Union". Eu-history.leidenuniv.nl. Archived from the original on 3 March 2007. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  16. ^ "Delimiting the territory of the Greek linguistic minority of Messina" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 September 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  17. ^ a b c "Geografia di Messina". 22 August 2017. Archived from the original on 22 July 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  18. ^ "Territorio di Messina". Archived from the original on 22 July 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  19. ^ "Distanza Messina-Catania". Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  20. ^ "Distanza Messina-Palermo". Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  21. ^ "Mito di Scilla e Cariddi". Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  22. ^ "Il periodo Messininano". Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  23. ^ a b "Territorio di Messina". comune.messina.it. 22 August 2017. Archived from the original on 22 July 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  24. ^ "L'alluvione di Messina". Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  25. ^ "WMO Climate Normals for 1991-2020: Messina-16420". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  26. ^ "WMO Climate Normals for 1981-2010: Messina(WMO number: 16420)" (XLS). ncei.noaa.gov (Excel). National Oceanic and Atmosoheric Administration. Retrieved 29 February 2024. Parameter code: 39 - Dew Point Temperature
  27. ^ "Messina Osservatorio Meteorologico" (in Italian). Temperature estreme in Toscana. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  28. ^ "Popolazione residente e presente dei comuni. Censimenti dal 1861 al 1971" [Resident and present population of the municipalities. Censuses from 1861 to 1971] (PDF) (in Italian). ISTAT. 24 October 1971.
  29. ^ "Dashboard Permanent census of population and housing". ISTAT.
  30. ^ "Gastronomia a Messina". Archived from the original on 4 March 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  31. ^ Prodotti Agroalimentari tradizionali Italiani e di Sicilia Archived 21 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  32. ^ "Pagnotta alla disgraziata - prodottitipici.com". Archived from the original on 22 September 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
  33. ^ "How the First Jesuits Became Involved in Education" (PDF).
  34. ^ University of Messina website, retrieved 07.02.2024
  35. ^ Policlinico G. Martino
  36. ^ "Vino DOC Faro". Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  37. ^ "Birrificio Messina". Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  38. ^ "Taiuni, virina e paddi i boi". Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  39. ^ "Zir, area degradata". Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  40. ^ "Località Larderia". Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  41. ^ "Esportazione a Messina". Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  42. ^ "Traffico crocieristico al 2016" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  43. ^ "Autostrade a Messina". Archived from the original on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  44. ^ Stazione di Messina Marittima Fondazione FS Italiane
  45. ^ Top 50 Passenger Harbors in Europe Ferrygogo Research
  46. ^ Metroferrovia Messina-Giampilieri on Ferroviesiciliane (in Italian)
  47. ^ ATM Messina
  48. ^ atmmessinaspa.it. "Linee ed orari" (in Italian). Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  49. ^ Messina Tramway on ATM website(in Italian)
  50. ^ Carta della mobilità 2020 pag.6 su Atmmessinaspa.it 2020
  51. ^ Sistema di infomobilità su Ponmetro.it progetti Messina
  52. ^ Sylvers, Eric (26 July 2023). "Italy Says it Will Build the Longest Suspension Bridge in the World. Don't Hold Your Breath". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  53. ^ "Italy drops Sicily bridge plans". BBC News. 12 October 2006. Archived from the original on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2006.
  54. ^ "Italy revives Sicily bridge plan". BBC News. 6 March 2009. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  55. ^ Masoni, Danilo (26 February 2013). "Sicily bridge project sinks in Italy budget mire". Reuters.
  56. ^ "Cabinet approves Messina Bridge decree – 'Historic day for Italy' says Infrastructure Minister Salvini". Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata. 17 March 2023. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  57. ^ "Il Ponte sullo Stretto è legge: Mattarella firma, il decreto è in Gazzetta Ufficiale". strettoweb.com (in Italian). 31 March 2023.
  58. ^ "Déjà Vu? Italy Plans to Build World's Longest Suspension Bridge to Sicily". IFLScience. 16 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  59. ^ "Messina Bridge construction to start end-April, end 2032". ansa.it. 14 March 2025. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  60. ^ Messina Story
  61. ^ RSSSF.com Archived 12 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  62. ^ "Donne in Arcadia (1690-1800)". www.arcadia.uzh.ch. Retrieved 9 August 2020.

Sources

[edit]
See also: Bibliography of the history of Messina
[edit]
Wikisource has the text of the 1879 American Cyclopædia article Messina.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messina&oldid=1292805679"