History News

Notes by ANTASICILIA-ONLUS.

The Province of Messina

The coast, with its narrow strips of pebbles, gravel and sand formed by mountain erosion in the hinterland and brought to the sea by the torrents, is generally, lower and straighter on the Tyrrhenian versant and prevalently higher along the Ionian Sea. Near the occidental boundary the low coast is interrupted in the middle by the mountains of Capo D'Orlando to Capo Calavà and between the two big gulfs of Patti and Milazzo, by the mountains of Capo Tindari, Capo of Milazzo and Capo Rasocolmo. From the Strait of Messina to the southern boundary the landscape is sometimes steep like at Capo Passero and Capo St Alessio or full of rocks like at Isola Bella. At the mouth of the Alcantara River (in Giardini-Naxos), and at Capo Schisò (formed by an old stream of lava that came from the crater of Mojo, the only crater in the province of Messina), one can come across the first Greek colony of Sicily (Naxos) founded in the 735 B.C. by Greeks, led by Teocle, who had come from Calcide in Eubea.

The extension of the coast and the simplicity of landing favoured incursions by pirates. The area is characterized by a large number of Arabian and Norman look-out towers to control the coast and also the settlements, which at the beginning were situated inland and after moved permanently to the coast once life became more pacific, as is demonstrated by the cities of Caronia and Marina di Caronia, Naso and Capo D'Orlando, Patti and Marina di Patti, or Rometta and Rometta Mare and still Mili St Pietro and Mili St Marco and Mili Marina, Galati and Galati Marina, Gianpilieri and Gianpilieri Marina, Scaletta Zanclea and Scaletta Marina, Itàla and Itàla Marina or Alì Superiore and Alì Terme.

One can see In the Tirrhenian Sea the island that Homer assigned to Eolo, the god of wind, who had his kingdom there and thanks to him are called the Aeolian Islands. Islands formed by old volcanic eruptions 300,000 to 100,000 years ago, continuously modified in their dimensions and aspects throughout the centuries. Alicudi and Filicudi still have a savage and wild nature, and Stromboli is stil an active volcano, with secondary volcanic and thermal activity on the island of Vulcano. The territory is crossed by rivers that originate in the mountains, and for many centuries these rivers where the only way of communication between the inland villages and the sea. Among these rivers there are, on the Tyrrhenian side, the torrents of Tusa (with its modern works of art distributed throughout the valley), of St Stefano, (with its production of traditional ceramics) of Caronia Furiano, Inganno, Rosmarino (where were this is also a port) and of Naso; and around Messina there are the torrents of Boccetta, and of Camaro that had to be transformed because of heavy vehicular traffic.

The province of Messina isn't known as a province of lakes, but it is rich in lakes especially those found at high altitudes (singular in the Sicilian Isle). These lakes are set in woods and are beautiful places for tourists looking for fresh air and calm during the spring and are also propitious for fauna. The most popular are Lake Biviere in the commune of Cesarò, which is perennial and in its waters lives a particular family of turtles and tree toads; Lake Maulazzo, Lake Ancipa divided between the provinces of Messina and Enna, Occasionally at Lake Tre Arie one can see the Sanfratellani horses drinking from the banks, and the little lakes of Urio Quattrocchi, of Pisciotto and of Cartolari.

The mountains present the biggest concentration of wood in Sicily, heavier in the territory of Nebrodi, barer, except for some reforested areas in the Peloritana area. The woods made up of hollies, pines, alders, maples, oaks, holm-oaks, Turkey oaks, beeches, English oaks and with the presence of rare yews. In the internal area of Caronia, called Sicily's "green heart," there are even cork oaks whose bark has again become an important economic resource for the territory.
The rich underwood has numerous brooks and small waterfalls and the branches and the trunks are covered with moss and lichen (index of the wholesomeness of the areas). It is the ideal place for many precious floral varieties, like orchids, violets and daffodils. Families of pigs dig about free among the oaks and flocks of sheep, herds of bovines and even wild herds of the Sanfratellani horses (a race of wild horses that live in the Nebrodi and have developed through slow, natural selection, that are named after the town of St Fratello) pasture in the territory.

The coast and the inland areas are populated by cultivations of citrus fruits, isolated along the valley of Alcantara (in the areas of Motta Camastra and Francavilla di Sicilia) or thick and distributed along all the Tyrrhenian strip, which is also called "lemon coast". The internal part of the valley is rich with vine-yards and nut trees, figs, almond trees, olive-trees and fruit-trees that extend to the pastures and have even mixed with the natural vegetation of the woods at higher altitudes.

Agriculture, stock farming and sheep-rearing, the use of the woods and the dairy activity, the artisans and fishery continue to work according to the old traditions. Sword fishing is very important for the economy of the district done with the particular Spadare (a kind of fishing boat), that cross in the water of the Strait of Messina which is full of ferryboats that connect the Island to the continent.

The gastronomy is various and mainly based on fish along the coast and inland it is based on the meat of "ruspanti"
animals (raised at home in a natural way). Pastry-shops are full of very good confectionaries (famous is the Pignolata)
and the Ice-cream shops (famous is the limon grated ice drink) and the wines are famous (like the "Malvasia of Malfa,
on the island of Salina).

The traditional and the religious festivities are rich and famous in all the territory. Some of these are very particular, like the old festivity of "Muzzuni" in Alcara Fusi, that began about the fifth century B.C., and continues in the present religious festivity of St Giovanni Battista.

The religious and profane festivity of the "Giudei" in St Fratello is famous for its Easter celebrations, and the procession of the crucifix on the old street of St Marco D'Alunzio is also very interesting.

This reality donates value and charm to the province of Messina, whose most important resources are sustained by the institution of the Nebrodi Park and by the 17 protected areas on land and sea.

In the large territory alongside the wealth of the natural landscape, one finds a great historical patrimony, the importance of its art and culture which came from the original indigene people or that came from far away lands that have made Sicily so unique, leaving an important inheritance in Sicily's archaeological areas, in its language and in its monuments.