Founded by theSicels with the name ofZancle in 757 BC, which intheir language meant sickle, it was repopulated byGreek colonists ofMagna Graecia and renamedMessana. The city was renamedMessina in theByzantine age. It was an importantRoman, and thenGreek-Byzantine city, but in 843 it was completely destroyed by theArabs. Almost abandoned during the Islamic period, it rose again in theNorman era and reached the height of its grandeur between the lateMiddle Ages and the mid-17th century, when it competed withPalermo for the role of capital of theKingdom of Sicily.
Put to fire and sword in 1678 after ahistoric anti-Spanish revolt that led to the annihilation of its ruling class, it was seriously damaged byan earthquake in 1783. In 1908,another earthquake destroyed the city almost entirely, causing the death of about half the population. Rebuilding started in 1912,[7] largely in theLiberty style, and an orderly and regular network of wide and straight streets in a north-south direction was built. Being a strategic target, the city of the strait was heavily bombed by theAllies of World War II in 1943 during thelanding in Sicily, being hit by about 6,500 tons of explosives in about 2,800 air raids and four naval bombardments. This event earned the city theGold Medal of Military Valor.Winston Churchill visited Messina after the bombing. He came to the city in July 1943, during the time when the Allies were executing the invasion of Sicily.
Its port, for thousands of years has been one of the main commercial crossroads of the Mediterranean and only recently becoming a port of call for ferries to the continent, is the first[8] in Italy in terms of number of passengers in transit.[9] According toEurostat[10] theFUA 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 aRoman CatholicArchdiocese and Archimandrite seat since 1548 and is home to a locally important international fair. The city has theUniversity of Messina, founded in 1548 byPope Paul III.
Zancle, from theSiculian meaning "scythe", that characterizes the singular shape of the natural port, from the founding of the city by theSicels in 757 BC up to theMagna Graecia age;
Messene (Μεσσήνη), a name that was given to the city in the Magna Graecia age byAnaxilas of Rhegium, when he settled refugees fromMessenia there at the beginning of the 5th century BC;
Ancient Roman bronze coin minted in Messina, 264 BC 13th-century coins minted during the reign ofFrederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, in Messina.
Founded byGreek colonists ofMagna Graecia in the 8th century BC, Messina was originally calledZancle (Ancient Greek:Ζάγκλη), from the Greekζάγκλον meaning "scythe" because of the shape of its natural harbour (though a legend attributes the name to KingZanclus). Acomune of its Metropolitan City, located at the southern entrance of theStrait of Messina, is to this day called 'Scaletta Zanclea'.Solinus wrote that the city ofMetauros was established by people from Zancle.[11]
In 288 BC theMamertines 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 ofSyracuse.Hiero II, tyrant of Syracuse, defeated the Mamertines nearMylae on theLonganus River and besieged Messina.Carthage assisted the Mamertines because of along-standing conflict with Syracuse over dominance in Sicily. When Hiero attacked a second time in 264 BC, the Mamertines petitioned theRoman 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 theItalian Peninsula. At the end of theFirst Punic War it was a free city allied with Rome. In Roman times Messina, then known asMessana, had an importantpharos (lighthouse). Messana was the base ofSextus Pompeius, during his war againstOctavian.
In 1347 Messina was one of the first points of entry for theblack death into Western Europe.Genoese galleys travelling from the infected city ofKaffa carried plague into the Messina ports. Kaffa had been infected via Asian trade routes and thesiege of Kaffa from infectedMongol armies led byJanibeg; 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.
In 1548St. Ignatius founded there the firstJesuit college in the world, which later gave birth to theStudium Generale (the currentUniversity of Messina).[13] The Christian ships that won theBattle of Lepanto (1571) left from Messina: theSpanish authorMiguel de Cervantes, who took part in the battle, recovered for some time in theGrand 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.
Greek minority of Messina flag
In 1674 the cityrebelled against the foreign garrison. It managed to remain independent for some time, thanks to the help of the French kingLouis XIV, but in 1678, with thePeace 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. Amassive fortress was built by the occupants and Messina decayed steadily. In 1743, 48,000 died of a second wave ofplague in the city.[14]
In 1783 anearthquake 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 whereRisorgimento riots broke out. In 1848 it rebelled openly against the reigningBourbons, but was heavily suppressed again. Only in 1860, after theBattle of Milazzo, theGaribaldine troops occupied the city. One of the main figures of theunification of Italy,Giuseppe Mazzini, was electeddeputy 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 byan earthquake and associatedtsunami 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. 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 theAllied 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.[15] These raids destroyed one-third of the city, and caused 854 deaths among the population.[16] The city was awarded aGold Medal of Military Valor and one for Civil Valor by the Italian government in memory of the event and the subsequent effort of reconstruction.[17]
The city is home to a smallGreek-speaking minority, which arrived from thePeloponnese between 1533 and 1534 when fleeing the expansion of theOttoman Empire. They were officially recognised in 2012.[3]
Natural Reserve Capo PeloroLake GanzirriA tract of around 30 km (19 mi) ofbeaches of Messina
Located in the north-eastern corner of Sicily, on the western shore of theStrait of Messina (Ionian Sea)— altitude 3 m (9.8 ft) above sea level[19]— it extends for 213.75 km2 (82.53 sq mi) of municipal surface. Its extension on the coast (56 km (35 mi) 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.[20]
The municipality is located 96 km (60 mi) fromCatania[21] and 223 km (139 mi) fromPalermo,[22] squeezed between the Ionian and Tyrrhenian coasts and thePeloritani mountains, it overlooks with its large natural, military and commercial port, closed by the sickle-shaped peninsula of San Raineri, in front ofVilla San Giovanni and a little further north thanReggio Calabria. Cape Peloro, in the northern part of the city, is instead oppositeScylla. In these waters is located the myth of Scylla andCharybdis,[23] whose whirlpools are compared to the punishment of the souls of hell that go round and round and collide eternally ("qui la gente riddi" inSicilian).
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 theNeogene, a fraction of the upperMiocene, a period known as the one in which the Mediterranean increased its salinity following the closing of theStrait of Gibraltar, takes the name of Messinian from the discovery in Messina of its characteristic rocks, theevaporites.[24]
From sea level, within the same municipality, it is possible to climb up to 1,127 m (3,698 ft) above sea level,[19] 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 toCapo Vaticano, in theprovince of Vibo Valentia. To the south, the imposing view ofMount Etna is clearly visible. To the northwest, theAeolian Islands and the Tyrrhenian coast withCapo Milazzo, Capo Tindari and Capo Calavà inGioiosa Marea.[19]
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 (20 mi)[25] in the Ionian strip. The Tyrrhenian strip, 24 km (15 mi) long,[25] 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 (7.5 mi) 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.[26]
Messina has asubtropical Mediterranean climate with long, hot summers with lowdiurnal 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 thanReggio Calabria on the other side of theMessina Strait, a remarkable climatic difference for such a small distance.
The winter, short, presents rare episodes of cold that in rare cases can also bring snow in the hinterland of the city. The last snowy episode occurred on 7 January 2017,[27] preceded by the event of 31 December 2014[28] and even before that by that of 30 January 1999.[29]
The summer, hot, but due to the sea breezes, is not particularly muggy. The average humidity value tends to be lower during the hottest hours of the day.[30] Furthermore, the presence of the sea tends to contain the maximum temperature values; only in the presence of southern winds (during the major heat waves) do reach 40 °C (104 °F), and in these cases the humidity levels are very high, reaching over 80%.
Precipitation is consistent as Messina is among the medium-large municipalities of the island, the rainiest coastal city in Sicily. An average annual rainfall of 846.9 mm (33.34 in)[30] places the city of the strait above the Italian average. Precipitation is concentrated mainly between autumn and winter but in the summer season there are some thunderstorms. The abundant rainfall in Messina derives from various factors and in particular from the relatively high reliefs close to the area on which the city stands, in Sicily the eastern Nebrodi and the Peloritani, in Calabria the Aspromonte, reliefs that cause frequentorographic lift phenomena and the presence of two seas, the Ionian and the Tyrrhenian, which create frequent conditions favorable to precipitation.
Climate data for Messina, elevation: 59 m or 194 ft, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1909–present
Messina has 216,918 residents as of 2025.[36] The city's population reached a peak of 260,118 inhabitants in 1981, after which it decreased at a rate of about 1,000 inhabitants per year. The first reason for this phenomenon is the chronic employment crisis, the second the transfer to neighbouring municipalities. The 1911 census recorded a drastic contraction due to the1908 Messina earthquake. The victims were actually much more numerous than would appear from a simple subtraction between the data of that census and the previous one, because the city, almost entirely depopulated, was repopulated by inhabitants from other areas ofSicily andCalabria, attracted by the reconstruction and by the large gaps that opened up in public employment and trade. The families from Messina who had lived in the city since before 1908 are now very few.[37]
Palazzo Zanca, the town hall of MessinaMap of the municipal territory of Messina divided into its six districts
TheMayor of Messina is an elected politician who, along with the Messina's City Council, is accountable for the strategic government of Messina. According to theItalian 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 amotion 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 inItaly 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.
The territory of the municipality of Messina is divided into six districts,[38] which are in turn divided into dozens offrazioni, almost all ancient villages, called "casali". For this reason, the city can be considered polycentric, because beyond the historic center of the city itself, there are many historic centers in the suburbs, namely the 48frazioni of Messina, located along the valleys and on the hills.
The metropolitan area of Messina,[39] still unimplemented to date, was established in 1986 by theSicily region and delimited by a decree of 1995. It would include 51 municipalities on a surface of 1,135 km2 (438 sq mi) and would be characterized by an uninterrupted ribbon-like coastal conurbation of 150 km (93 mi) betweenFurnari on theTyrrhenian Sea and theAlcantara River on theIonian Sea, passing throughMilazzo,Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto,Lipari,Taormina andGiardini Naxos.
Thecathedral (12th century), containing the remains of the kingConrad, ruler ofGermany and Sicily in the 13th century. The building had to be almost entirely rebuilt in 1919–20, following the devastating1908 earthquake, and again in 1943, after a fire triggered by Allied bombings. The originalNorman structure can be recognised in the apsidal area. The façade has three lateGothic portals, the central of which probably dates back to the early 15th century. The architrave is decorated with a sculpture ofChrist Among the Evangelists and various representations of men, animals and plants. Thetympanum 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 theapse 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. Thebell tower holds theMessina astronomical clock, one of the largest astronomical clocks in the world, built-in 1933 by the Ungerer Company ofStrasbourg. 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 alsoChiesa del Carmine.
TheChurch 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 hightambour. Noteworthy is the external decoration of thetransept 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 theTeutonic Knights. It is a rare example of pure Gothic architecture in Sicily, as is witnessed by the arched windows and shapelybuttresses.
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.
TheForte 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.
ThePylon, built in 1957 together with a twin located across the Strait of Messina, to carry a 220 kVoverhead power line bringing electric power to the island. At the time of their construction, the two electricpylons 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 Fountain of Orion, a monumental civic sculpture located next to the cathedral, built in 1547 byGiovanni Angelo Montorsoli, student ofMichelangelo, with a Neoplatonic-alchemical program. It was considered by art historianBernard Berenson "the most beautiful fountain of the sixteenth century in Europe".
The Fountain of Neptune, looking towards the harbour, built by Montorsoli in 1557.
Messina has provided the setting for two ofWilliam Shakespeare's plays,Much Ado About Nothing andThe Winter's Tale. In August 2011, the city council of Messina voted to grant honorary citizenshipposthumously to William Shakespeare.[40] In the science fiction novelThe Condemned of Messina by the American writerBen Bova, the city of Messina is the seat of the world government.
The specialities of Messina's cuisine[41] are fish and seafood dishes: swordfish, stockfish, mussels, saury, neonata and tuna. Meat-based dishes includebraciole (a unique cut different from the rest of Italy) andfalsomagro. Typical Messina desserts include: pignolata glazeata,bianco e nero, ricotta,cannoli with a chocolate variant, andcassata siciliana. Also typical arefocaccia messinese (curly escarole, desalted anchovies, black pepper and tuma cheese),pane alla disgraziata[42][43]rustici (arancini, pidoni,mozzarella in carrozza and puff pastry) andgranita, 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 ofcalzone filled with curly white escarole, salted anchovies and scamorza cheese, prepared on theFeast of the Annunciation, 25 March, but also on many other occasions, for example,St. Joseph's Day,Easter Monday, theFeast 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 onEaster Sunday andpasta 'ncaciata (the ingredients for the preparation are: beef, a young chicken, livers, minced lean beef, eggs, Sant'Angelo di Brolosalami,scamorza, maturepecorino 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, thefeast 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 m (46 ft) high and weighing about 8 tons.
TheUniversity of Messina (Latin:Studiorum Universitas Messanae), known colloquially as UniME, is a state university located in Messina. Founded in 1548 byPope Paul III, it was the world's firstJesuit college,[44] 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.[45]
The Faculty ofMedicine is held in the main hospital of the city,Policlinico G. Martino, situated in the southern area of Messina.[46] The Faculties ofSciences andEngineering are located insidePolo Papardo, overlooking the famousStrait of Messina. The Faculties ofVeterinary Medicine,Pharmacy andHumanities are established in thePolo Annunziata facility, which is also the Sport Centre of the University.
Good Friday celebrations in MessinaTheFerragosto procession in MessinaThe giants Mata and Grifone of theFerragosto procession in Messina
TheGood Friday celebrations wind through the main streets of the city with the procession of the Barette (Varette), dating back to 1610[47] and composed of eleven groups of statues depicting episodes of thePassion of Christ. This procession has taken place several times for more than 150 years and owes its name of Barette to the fact that in the first editions there was only the simulacrum of the Madonna Addolorata and a fercolo with the dead Christ and five barette representing the mysteries. Among the last interruptions was that which lasted a few years due to the earthquake of 1908 and the period of the Second World War. Over the years other simulacra have been gradually added until there are twenty-one today. The barette remain kept in the Oratory of Peace which has a portal dating back to the pre-earthquake period.
On the feast day ofCorpus Christi, a long procession begins from the Cathedral, preceded by hooded Catholic believers called "Babaluci" and by all the religious associations, congregations and archconfraternities of the city. Together with the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament, carried under a rich silk canopy by the Archbishop, the "Vascelluzzo" (small vessel) is carried on the shoulders, a fercolo in chiseled silver adorned with small red drapes and ears of wheat. The work is an ex voto made by the people of Messina as a sign of thanks to the Madonna della Lettera who, according to legend, during various famines, brought several vessels loaded with wheat to the city's port. The Vascelluzzo is kept at the Church of the Sailors and is displayed behind safety glass in addition to two heavy iron grates overexposed. On the morning of Corpus Christi it is carried on the shoulders of 16 people, with a pace that makes it seem as if the Vascelluzzo is sailing on the sea, and enters the Cathedral at the stroke of midday. Once it has arrived at the main altar, the relic of the Lock of Hair of the Madonna is placed in the centre of the Vascelluzzo. In the evening, after Holy Mass, the Vascelluzzo without the relic is brought back in procession to the Church of the Sailors where it is welcomed with the setting off of fireworks.[48]
The most important Catholic celebration, however, is the one that takes place on 15 August every year, theFerragosto procession: an ancient votive machine is carried in procession by thousands of faithful, dressed in white and blue and barefoot: the Vara, depicting the phases of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven. The Vara, about 13 and a half meters high, rests on large metal slides and features numerous figures in different materials of angels, the two large rotating spheres of the Sun and the Moon and, at the top, the statue of Christ who, with one hand, supports Mary, in the act of carrying her to the Empyrean; the faithful drag it by pulling the long ropes (230 m (750 ft) each, 5 cm (2.0 in) thick) that are attached to the base along the previously wet pavement of Corso Garibaldi, from Piazza Castronovo to Via I Settembre and then from Via I Settembre, the historic artery of the city, to Piazza Duomo, where the procession ends in the evening.
In the days leading up to August 15, the streets of the city are filled with the festive procession of the two Giants and the Camel, along with numerous folk groups. In particular, the two colossal statues on horseback represent the legendary founders of the city, the Messina native Mata and the Moor Grifone (known as "u giganti e a gigantissa"). The statues derive from the processional giants of the ancient Catalan tradition, still present today in many areas ofCatalonia and used during various festivities, such asTarragona for the feast of Santa Tecla, or during the fiesta Mayor de Reus which takes place on the day of San Pietro Reus. Contact with the Catalan domination brought the tradition of processional giants which also spread to Sicily and today is linked to the cult of theVirgin Mary, as in the case of the giants Mata and Grifone of the feast of the Assumption in Messina and the giantsKronos and Mytia of the feast of the Madonna della luce in Mistretta, while the Camel recalls the triumphal entry into Messina, at the beginning of the conquest of Sicily taken from the Arabs, of the Norman CountRoger I of Hauteville, which according to tradition took place on the back of a camel.[49][50]
TheFelucca, a typical boat used by the fishermen of Messina to huntswordfish
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:
Vines, from which excellent red and white wines are produced, including the DOC Faro[51]
Beer, where the Birra DOC 15 and the Birra dello Stretto have been produced since 2016 in the new Messina brewery.[52]
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.[53] Fresh milk is used for the production of:
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.[54]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).[55]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
The tertiary sector is, historically, the "driving sector" of the city's economy. This is partly due to the presence of thePort of Messina, which in the past was an important export hub for local products (wine, silk, and above all, citrus products)[56] and is still today an important goods hub (in particular, raw materials and materials processed by/for the processing industries of the area).
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 theAeolian Islands (which make the metropolitan city the second most visited inSouthern Italy afterNaples and the first inSicily). In 2017, 367,269 cruise passengers disembarked at the city's port, in 2024 650,000.[9]
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 byAntonello andCaravaggio) 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 theCalabrian coast, where the lighthouse stands), which overlook theIonian Sea (and therefore the Strait) and theTyrrhenian Sea. In 2025, Messina received the recognition ofBlue Flag beach, the international eco-label awarded by theFoundation for Environmental Education for the quality of beaches and coastal services, with over 11 km of its coastline included in the award.[57]
The Messina motorwayring road is part of theAutostrada A20 Messina-Palermo[58] 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 theAutostrada A18 Messina-Catania.
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.[61]
Messina's public bus system is operated by ATM Messina:[62] 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.[63] About 36 different routes reach every part of the city and also the modernMessina tramway[64] (at "Repubblica" stop, on station's square), opened in 2003. This line is 7.7 km (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;
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 ministerRomano Prodi.[68] On 6 March 2009, as part of a massive new public works programme, prime ministerSilvio 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.[69] The project was cancelled again on 26 February 2013, by prime ministerMario Monti's government, due to budget constraints.[70] A decade later, the project was revived again with a decree byGiorgia Meloni's government, on 16 March 2023,[71] which received presidential approval on 31 March 2023.[72][73]
According to Catholic tradition,Saint Paul, during his wanderings across the Mediterranean to Rome to spread the Good News, landed in the year 41 AD in Messina, a city that was already very prosperous from an economic point of view thanks to its port.[75]
Here, by preaching the Christian doctrine, he immediately inflamed the hearts of many people from Messina and, among them, the Senators of the city of the time, who, having learned from the Apostle of the Gentiles of the existence of the Mother of the Lord in Jerusalem, immediately decided to go there to ask for her blessing on the City.[75]
The Madonna wrote in her own hand and delivered to the ambassadors from Messina a Letter, in which she blessed the City and its inhabitants and established herself as its perpetual Protector. On 8 September 42 AD the ship brought the ambassadors to the city of the Strait with the Letter of Mary, which the same Celeste sender had rolled up and tied with some of her hair. This letter is said to be preserved in the Vatican Museums in Rome. According to a legend, Mary chose to be the patron saint of the people of Messina and not the other way around. This tradition contributed greatly to rooting the Marian cult in the city.[75]
Since then, Messina became a Marian city par excellence for Catholics, boasting as a credential that it had been chosen "directly by its Patron Saint". This choice would be attested by a statement byNummius Aemilianus Dexter, from the 2nd century. The Cathedral houses the relic of the Madonna's hair, which is carried in procession on an artistic silver vessel onCorpus Domini day. It is said that following a plague, the population ofPalmi was significantly reduced and the Senate of Messina decided to carry part of the Lock of Hair in procession to Palmi, when they arrived at the gates of the Calabrian town the plague ended immediately. In gratitude, on the Sunday after 15 August, the procession of the Vara (Mary's Assumption into Heaven) is repeated in Palmi.[75]
Catholics celebrate the feast of the Madonna della Lettera on June 3, with a popular procession of the engraved silver fercolo with the silver statuette of the Madonna, modeled by Lio Gangeri in 1902 and the relic of the Hair of Mary contained in a precious monstrance (the Letter was lost in one of the many fires that devastated the Cathedral during its troubled history).
The city of Messina is home to many religious minorities: Pentecostals are the most numerous, there are also Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Waldensians and a strong Islamic concentration due to strong immigration.[75]
Associazioni Calcio Riunite Messina is afootball club based in Messina, that competes in theSerie C, the third tier of theItalian football league system. The 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 lowerItalian football leagues. They last competed inSerie B in 2007–08, which followed three consecutive seasons inSerie A. In July 2008, Messina were excluded from professional football due to financial issues, being later registered into amateurSerie D. The farthest Messina has reached in theCoppa Italia is the last 16. This was achieved in the 2000s decade. In the past, they have also reached the semi-finals in theCoppa Italia Serie C.[76] 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,[77] which happened during the2004–05 season.
Pallacanestro Messina was an Italian professionalbasketball team based in Messina. Established in 1976, the club was admitted to the first divisionSerie A for the2003-04 season afterVirtus Bologna was excluded for financial irregularities.[78]Messina struggled on every front during that season, finishing dead last in the league whilst suffering from financial problems and a lack of interest from the public.[79]With debts too big to allow the club to even take part in other divisions and scaring off clubs that wanted to buy the side's sporting rights, Messina went bankrupt a few months after the season.[80]
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