MESSINA, mes-se'n5. (anciently ilessana). The capital of the Province of Messina, and, after Palermo, the most important city of Sicily. It is in the northeast corner of the island on the Strait of Messina, 59 miles by rail northeast of Catania (Slap: Italy, K 9). It is situated between a shaped harbor on the east, with its two sightly lighthouses, and a. chain of abrupt conical peaks on the west. rising to a height of 3700 feet. The climate is very even. The mean temperature is F. Messina is substantially built, is forti fied, and has sonic fine lava-paved thoroughfares, which afford views of the bay and of Calabria across the strait. The city itself has no very famous attractions for sightseers, having retained of its striking antiquities, owing to a rather calamitous career. It has suffered especially from earthquakes. The most interesting struc ture is the cathedral, dating from Norman times (1098). Little of the original edifice, however, remains; it is a mixture of different architectural periods.
Among the leading secular edifices are the municipal palace, completed in 1829, and the Villa P,oeca Guelfonia. with Norman remains. The museum in the Convent of San Gregorio contains a few' paintings, sonic marbles and other antiquities, and a collection of majolica vases. The fish the neighboring, waters are highly esteemed. as well as the Mninertine wines of the district. The manufacturing interests are not extensive. The chief products are hardware, silk, muslin, and linen. _Messina has some fame for satins and damasks. The commerce is important, as great as formerly. The harbor is very busy at all times. Silk, oil, wine, COraL fruit essences. arg()I. oranges, lemons, and other articles are dealt in. The town ranks fourth among Italian cities in the volume of its com merce, the total tonnage entered and cleared in 90t1 being over 3,300.on0. The imports were alatut $-1,000,000, the exports $10,000.000. There is direct steamship ettninninicatien with Naples and Alarseilles. The university, tqwned in I 33s, is attended by some 600 students. There is also a technical institute in the city. Thu municipal hospital is a vast built prior to 1000. Nessina is the seat of an archbishop. Popula tion (commune), in 190 1. 149.778.
The outskirts and environs are delightful. af fording magnificent views of the sea as well as of lleunt Etna. on the west rises the former
fort of Castellaccio, and not far away to the south is Fort ilonzaga, Im a spot. The new Campo Santo is beautiful, with its graceful Greek colonnades and wonderful views. The Tele- grain—the summit of a pass near Messina—is much visited for its scenery. Here was supposed to be the Charybdis of the familiar legend, oppo site Scylla, on the Calahrian coast.
isToRr. Messina is a town of great antiquity, its foundat• being ascribed to pirates from Cunne in the eighth century The., when it was known as Zanele (a sickle), in allusion to the shape of its harbor. At the end of the fifth cen tury n.c. the town was occupied by fugitives from Samos and Milctus, and it soon after passed to Anaxilas, the tyrant of Illiegium, who intro duced there Alessenians from the Peloponnesus, by whom the Wine of the city was changed to Messana. After the death of Anaxilas. Messana became a republic, and maintained that status until its destruetion by the Carthaginians during their wars with Dionysins of Syracuse at the beginning of the fourth century B.C. It was re built by Dionysius. but soon fell again into the hands of the Carthaginians. who were finally expelled by Timoleon in me. 343. During the war between Agathtwles of Syracuse and Car thage. Messana sided with the Carthaginians. The First l'unie War left Ilessana in the posses sion of Rome, :Ind the Iowa Sit h.tequently attained considerable eommereial importanee. In s:tl the town was I a ken by the Saracens. and in I 06 I was conquered by the Normans. The town be eame a thmrishing seat of trade in the Middle Ages. and received important privileges from tharles 1, of Spain. which added greatly to its prosperity. During the "I niggle het We111 the aristocratic fail ion. or Merli. and the filet inn. or Mavizzi. the Senate. in 16i1. appealed for aid to the French. who necupied the city, bet ,.nett 1lla111111114S1 it, after ha rim! defeated the COM. 1,41441 fleet of Spain and Holland. Left in the bands of the Spaniards. the city was deprived of its volitieol Iiloertir+, and soon lost its cronnoer eial The plague of I 7 13 and the earthquake of 1i`3 earried a ennsiderable part of its poled :it ion. In 1509 the place was fwenpiefl by (:arihatills and in IRO1 beetune a part of united Italy.