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Santissima Annunziata dei CatalaniThe 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 color 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. The original lenght of the naves was almost double their present length: they were shortened and the facade was redone following a flood in the Middle Ages, wich caused the front section of the church to collapse. The church has been known by the name "Catalani" ever since the 16th century, when the senate of Messina gave it to the powerful guild of the Catalan merchants. The guild made it their headquarters and placed the coats of arms of Catalonia on the main entrance. The great difference in height between the ground level of the church and that of the surrounding streets and buildings is due to the piles of rubble caused by the eartquake of 1908, which were later levelled for reconstruction. Il Monte di PietàMonte di Pietà, the ruins of the church of the Pietà and is spectacular staircase, are found on what is now Via XXIV Maggio, but which was originally via del Duomo. The complex is today missing many of it original parts (the firdt floor of Monte di Pietà is missing, as are the bell tower and the whole of the church, except for a section on the facade). The massive building of the Monte, the work of Natale Masuccio, dating back to 1616, is a fine example of mannerist architecture and was built as the headquarters of an institution set up to fight usury. The institution was run by the religious brotherhood of the "Azzurri", who met in the adiacent church of the Pietà, constructed in the second half of the 16th century, on the site of a more ancient demolished Greek Orthodox church, San Basilio. In the 18th century, extensive renovation work was carried out, involving the construction of the first flour of the Monte building, of the adiacent bell-tower and of the staircase, designed by Placido Campoli ed Antonio Basile, which lies between the Monte and the church. At the center of the staircase, the fountain representing Abundance, designed by Ignazio Buceti, bears the date of 1741, year of the second centenary of the foundation of the Monte Pietà. The Cathedral
The 14th century also saw the addition of the baptisimal font by Florentine Gaddo Gaddi and the mosaics in the vaults of the apses. These depict, from south to north: St Giovanni between St Nicola and St. Basilio; Christ Pantocrator; and the Virgin and Child between, Archangels, St Lucia and St Agata. The three portals of the Cathedral facade, with their elaborate decorations in polycrome bands and sculpted features, date from the same period. The central portal is by Baboccio da Piperno and shows figures of kings and saints, cherubs intently observing a mystic harvest, heraldic devices and symbols of the Evangelists. The triangular gable with God the Father at the top and a tondo depicting Christ crowning the Virgin were added in 1468 by Pietro di Bonate. The statue of Madonna and Child, in the lunette of the portal, is from 1534, and is the work of Giovambattista Mazzeo. The 16th century saw radical intervention also inside the buiding: Montorsoli designed a marble inlay floor and the arrangement, along the walls of the side naves, representing the Apostolate. The sculptor from Carrara, Andrea Calamech, sculpted the marble pulpit, and Jacopo Lo Duca built the chapel of the Sacrament in the north apse. The canopy in wood and copper and the high altar in mixed marble act as a kind of theatrical device to focus attention on the painting of the Madonna della Lettera (patron saint of Messina), and date bach to the 17th century. The altar, designed by Simone Gulli - who was also responsible for a unique series of buildings along the port known as the "Maritime Theatre", was begun in 1628 and finished at the end of the 18th century. A large number of artists collaborated on its construction, including the great goldsmiths of the Juvarra family, who also made the other altar, in silver and gold, built into the modern one at the center of the transept, depicting the Virgin handing over her letter to the ambassadors of Messina. In 1930, the Cathedral became home to what is the largest organ in Italy and the third largest in Europe: 5 keyboards, 170 stops, 16000 pipes arranged in both sides of the transept, behind the altar, above the main portal and above the triumphal arch.
The fountain of Nettuno is a assimilation of the powerful style of Michelangelo in sculpture. The figure of the god rises calm and invincible, holding his terrible trident with its power to shake the earth; the monstrous Scilla and Cariddi chained at is feet, hurl animal screams. The fountain, which in the 16th century was situated only a few feet from the sea, with Nettuno turned towards the city, was designed to be seen with the blue backdrop of the harbour, as if the figures had just risen from the water, and as if the god was laying claim to the city.
The Theatre up until 1861 called the Sant'Elisabetta theatre, this building is the only example in the historic center, and one of the few in the city as a whole, of neo classical architecture. It was constructed in 1852 according to the plans of the Neapolitan Pietro Valente, assisted by the local architect, Carlo Falconieri. The earthquake of 1908 left the building seriously unsafe, and the hall and stage (mostly wooden constructions) were subsequently lost. Between 1911 the rear section of the theatre was extended, to create a small auditorium still in use today, named after the local musician, Antonio Laudamo. The new theatre, which retains the perimeter walls of the front section wuth their neo-classical stuccoes and decorations, was not reopened to the public until 1985. Inside, the ceilling is decorated with the "Legend of Colapesce" by Renato Guttuso. Church of Saint FrancescoIn 1255, Pope Alexander IV sent, from Rome, the foundation stone for the construction of the first church built by the Franciscan Order in Sicily. The work was completely funded by the nobles of Messina and, in particular by Violante Palizzi, Eleonora Procida and Beatrice Belfiore, who all entered the Third Franciscan Order. This extremely high church evokes architectural forms from continental Europe, and was one of the very few Angevin constructions in Sicily; it was in fact against the Angevin king Charles that the island rebelled in the Sicilian Vespers. The church and its adjacent convent originally stood outside the city walls, but were absorbed by the espanding town in the 16th century. Patiently reconstructed after the 1908 earthquake, the fine crenellated aspes, "quoted" by the great Antonello, in the background of his painting "Deposition" in the Correr Museum in Venice, were rebuilt using the fallen stones. The portal of the facade, the rosette and the side entrance portal were likewise completely rebuilt. Inside, it is still possible to admire part of the ancient floor showing a large star in inlaid stone. The church is known to the local people as the "Immacolata" due to its silver statue of the Virgin. In the past, the church also contained important examples of 16th and 17th century paintings, as well as the tombs of Federick III of Aragon and other members of his family.
It has a basilical plant with three naves with a wide antuary and a hight transept with three apses; higher than the rest of the church and in the middle of it a spherical cusp, now fallen, was raised held by four huge pillars. This planemetry recalls - for similarity - that of other Messenese's Churches, partycularly the one of SS. Annunziata of the Catalani with wom it would hae the cusps in common. But this one was elevated on cilindrical pendentives, while the one of the Santa Maria della Valle is elevated on pillars with degrated small arches of which clear traces have remained. On the four angles of the santuary, at the height of the cusp impost, there were square rooms, which were most likely used as women's gallery. Quadrilobate pillars hold the ribbed vaults of the nave; the capitals are of various composition. On the outside, the monument presents itself as a single bloked mass, geometrically composed; the Gotic windows in regular order, and the merlon completition give the churh a reinforced civil construction appearence. San TommasoIn Via Romagnosi, we can find the little Church of San Tommaso, almost hidden among buildings and walls and inacessible to the pubblic. Not much is konwn regarding its origns and its history, but its essential structures show its antiquity, most likely of the Byzantine epoch, even if it was changed in the 16th century as underlined by the date "1530" visible on the trabeation. It has two sections: the first covered with a barrel cault, the second squared with a tambour and an emispheric cupola. Sanctuary of Saint Antony
Messina is full of pride cause Beato Annibale Maria di Francia was born here. Text courtesy of Tourism Agency of Messina
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