Sicilian port, place of legend and enchantment, including Morgan le Fay and Scylla and Charybdis, Messina, the city of the Straits, has a rational, modern urban layout, a result of the rebuilding that followed the devastating 1908 earthquake that razed it to the ground. A modern city, with an ancient heart, a cultural beacon numbering the celebrated painter Antonello da Messina among its sons, from the earliest times a crossroads of civilisation and different peoples, all taking advantage of its strategic position and large port as a "pivotal point" for sea crossings between the east and west. Founded by the Greeks in 756 BC it was given the name Zancle for the crescent shape of its land, then Messana from the name of the colonists who repopulated it in the fifth century. It became the first Roman colony in Sicily, becoming very prosperous and made remarkable urban-monumental progress also under Byzantine and Norman rule; in the Aragonese period, Messina reached the peak of its economic development, and the foundation of the University in 1548, sealed a deep-rooted cultural tradition. The historic, monumental and artistic heritage of the city is remarkable, with the duomo its foremost expression. On the other hand, the scenery around the provincial capital is splendid, offering the intense blue sea of the Straits and the Ganzirri coastal lakes, the enchanting Mortelle and Acquarone beaches, among the best-known of the Province, the deep green orange blossom-scented hills and the powerful beauty of Mount Antennamare, from where there is a incredible panorama. An industrious city, Messina boasts a flourishing craft industry, with wrought iron work among its main activities. Being a famous port, Messina offers a rich and creative range of the freshest seafood specialities.
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MESSINA
