Holy Messina, Batman!

Look at all those churches #(@&*"$%+!

Messina Harbor

Ancient Zancle (so-called for the sickle shape of its harbor) existed as a native Sicilian settlement before the arrival of the Greeks in 756 BC. Expanded to form a thriving port city during the Greek colonization of Sicily, Messina remained prominent for centuries. The Romans recognized its strategic importance. To the Saracens, who never controlled much of Calabria, it was the northern and eastern limit of a Muslim dominion. To the Normans, Messina was an essential foothold in their conquest of the island during the eleventh century, though their first ships actually landed at a point on the Ionian coast south of the city in the middle of the night.

Throughout the Middle Ages, Messina was the most important port of departure for European knights on their way to the Crusades. Such a Crusade prompted the visit of Richard the Lionhearted and King Philip II of France to Messina in 1190. Generally ignored by historians is the fact that the two monarchs and their crusader knights sacked Messina on that occasion. Messina remained the second most important city of Sicily until the seventeenth century, when its position was challenged by Catania. There were fleeting periods when Messina's economic and political power rivaled that of Palermo.

The Cathedral of Messina

The Duomo, or Cathedral of Messina, where Richard the Lionhearted worshipped in 1190 en route to a Crusade, was erected during the twelfth century Norman dominion and its style resembles that of both the Basilica of Saint Nicholas and the cathedral at Bari. The 12th century Cathedral contains the remains of Conrad, king of Germany and Sicily in the 13th century. After the quake of 1908, the cathedral was almost entirely rebuilt in 1919/1920; after a fire in 1943 it had to be rebuilt again. The original Norman structure can be seen in the apsidal area. The façade has three late Gothic portals, the central one probably dating from the early 15th century, with noteworthy decorations. The architrave is decorated with a sculpture of Christ Among the Evangelists and representations of human figures, animals and plants. The tympanum is from 1468. The interior has a nave and two equally long aisles divided by files of 28 columns; some of the decorative elements are from the original edifice. Beside of that of Conrad IV, the tombs include those of Archbishop Palmer (died in 1195), Archbishop Guidotto de Tabiatis (14th century) and Antonio La Lignamine (16th century). The mosaics in the apse are reconstructions. Noteworthy is the Chapel of the Sacrament (late 16th century), with scenographic decorations and 14th century mosaics.

Clock Tower

Very famous as a tourist attraction is the clock tower, with several animated mechanical statues which every days at noon show some events of Christian and Messina history. The astronomical clock on the bell-tower has a mechanism dating from 1933. Don’t miss a look at it on midday. It consists of several layers, each with a different display endowed with a separate movement. At the bottom, a two-horse chariot sets the day of the week; above, the central figure of Death looks at the four ages of man that pass before him. At the third stage, the Sanctuary of Montalto sets the scene for a group of figures which, according to the time of year, represent the Nativity, Epiphany, Resurrection and Pentecost. At the top, the tableau enacts a scene relating to a local legend whereby the Madonna delivers a letter to the ambassodors of Messina in which she thanks and agrees to protect the inhabitants of the town who were converted to Christianity by St. Paul the Apostle. (More about this later.) The female bell-strikers are the local heroines Dina and Clarenza, during the period of resistance against the Angevins (1282). The southern side of the bell-tower shows a perpetual calendar, the astronomical cycle marked by the signs of the zodiac, and the different phases of the moon. When the clock strikes midday, all the mechanical figures come to life. On the Piazza del Duomo you may admire the Fontana di Orione with allegoric statues of four rivers.

Annunziata dei Catalani

The church of the Annunziata dei Catalani stands on one of the most historically important sites of the Straits. Nearby, there was once the Byzantine shipyard, guarded by the fortress of Castellamare. The church was built between 1150 and 1200 on the remains of a pagan temple dedicated to Neptune. It is an interesting example of how various architectural styles were added to a late Byzantine construction typical of those built by the Basilian Order of monks. The blind loggias and the play of colour created by the exterior stonework, along with the two-tone arches of the interior and the elongated layout of the church, are all indications of Islamic and Byzantine influence, and also reflect contemporary architecture on mainland Italy.

Santa Maria dei Alemanni

The Church of Santa Maria dei Alemanni (Saint Mary of the Germans) stands in isolation a few blocks from the train station in a part of the city that visitors hardly ever see. Its construction was probably begun around 1194, when the Emperor Henry VI arrived at Messina to ascend the Sicilian Throne. Completed some years later, it was the place of worship of the Germans who remained at Messina during the reign of the young Frederick II von Hohenstaufen, which began following Henry's death in 1197. Surprisingly, Henry was buried not at this very German church, but at the Cathedral of Palermo. There were never very many true Gothic churches in Sicily where one hears phrases like "Romanesque Gothic" or "Catalan Gothic" repeatedly. Santa Maria dei Alemanni is one of the very few such true Gothic churches still standing.

Vos et ipsam civitatem benedicimus

Like many Italian towns and cities, Messina has its own Madonna, La Madonna della Lettera (Our Lady of the Letter), the patron saint of the city. According to the legend, Christianity was brought here by St. Paul the Apostle, and the letter attributed to the Blessed Virgin, which, it is claimed, was written by her to the Messinians when Mary heard of their conversion by St. Paul, is still preserved in Messina.

La Madonna della Lettera

Messina's Madonna stands six metres high greeting visitors as they arrive in the beautiful curved harbour with the inscription: "Vos et ipsam civitatem benedicimus" (We bless you and your city). The statue was unveiled on August 2nd 1934 and, thanks to Gugliemo Marconi, is fitted with a special device which allows it to be illuminated from the Vatican in Rome.