Messina, Italy
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Template:ITdot Messina is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, Italy and the capital of the province of Messina. Messina has a population of 260,000. It is located at the North-East corner of Sicily, next to the Strait of Messina.
Founded by Greek colonists in the 8th century BCE, Messina was originally called Zancle (scythe) because of the shape of its natural harbour. Of that name there still remains the 'Scaletta Zanclea' stairs. The Latin name of the city was Messana.
Denarius_Sextus_Pompeius-Scilla.jpg
The city was sacked in 396 BCE by the Carthaginians. It was the base of Sextus Pompeius, during his war against Octavian. In Roman times Messina had an important pharus.
Messina was almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake and associated tsunami on the morning of December 28, 1908, killing over 75,000 people. In June 1955, Messina was the location of the conference of western European foreign ministers which led to the creation of the European Economic Community.
In 1957 a 220kV-overhead powerline was built across the Strait of Messina. At the time of its construction, its pylons were the highest in the world. This powerline has since been replaced by an underwater cable, but the pylons still remain, protected as historical monuments. (See Pylons of Messina.)
Famous people born in Messina
- Antonello da Messina, Italian painter and genius of the Renaissance, was born in Messina in 1430.
- Filippo Juvara also spelled Filippo Juvarra, Italian architect highest exponent of Baroque, was born in Messina in 1678.
Messina in Literature
Many writers set their works in Messina, among the others:
- Giovanni Boccaccio - Decameron IV day V novel, Lisabetta da Messina - IV day IV Novel, Gerbino ed Elissa 1351
- Matteo Bandello - Novelliere First Part, novel XXII 1554
- William Shakespeare - Much Ado about Nothing 1598 - Antony and Cleopatra 1607
- Molière Jean Baptiste Poquelin - L'Etourdi ou Les Contre-temps 1654
- Friedrich Schiller - Die Braut von Messina 1803 (The Bride of Messina)
- Silvio Pellico - Eufemio da Messina 1818
- Friedrich Nietzsche - Idyllen aus Messina 1882 (Idylls from Messina)
- Giovanni Pascoli - poetry L'Aquilone 1904
- Elio Vittorini - Le donne di Messina 1949 (Women of Messina) - Conversazione in Sicilia 1941 (Conversations in Sicily)
- Stefano D'Arrigo - Horcynus Orca 1975
- Julien Green - Demain n'existe pas 1985
External links
- City website (http://www.comune.messina.it)
- Province website (http://www.provincia.messina.it)
- University website (http://www.unime.it)
- Prefettura website (http://www.prefettura.messina.it)
- Catholic Archdiocese of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela and Archimandrite of SS. Salvatore (http://www.diocesimessina.net)
- Chamber of Commerce website (http://www.me.camcom.it)
- Theater of Messina Vittorio Emanuele (http://www.teatrodimessina.it)
- Tourism Office website (http://www.azienturismomessina.it/en/index.html)
- International Trade Fair website (http://www.fieramessina.it)
- Football Club website (http://www.fcmessina.it)
- The Messina Declaration 1955 final document of The Conference of Messina 1 to 3 June 1955 - birth of the European Union (http://www.eu-history.leidenuniv.nl/index.php3?m=10&c=52)da:Messina
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