Messina
Sign in to saveMessina ( , ; ) is a harbour city and the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of 217,033 inhabitants in the city proper and 595,948 in the metropolitan city as of 2025. It is located near the northeast corner of Sicily, at the Strait of Messina and it is an important access terminal to Calabria region, Villa San Giovanni, Reggio Calabria on the mainland.
AI overview
Messina is a major harbor city on the northeastern tip of Sicily that serves as Italy's primary gateway between the island and mainland Calabria. As Sicily's third-largest city and home to nearly a quarter-million people, it has historically been strategically important due to its position at the Strait of Messina.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Weather now
cached 16h ago22°overcast clouds
56% 1.3 m/s OpenWeatherMap
7-day forecast
via Open-Meteo
Article
52 sectionsContents
- Names
- History
- Geography
- Territory
- Climate
- Society
- Demographic evolution
- Ethnic groups and foreign minorities
- Government
- Municipal administration
- Administrative subdivisions
- Metropolitan area of Messina
- Main sights
- Religious architecture
- Civil and military architecture
- Monuments
- Museums
- Culture
- Literature
- Cuisine
- Universities
- Traditions and folklore
- Economy
- Agriculture, fishing and livestock
- Crafts and industry
- Tertiary
- Tourism
- Transport
- Roads
- Railways
- Bus and tram
- Strait of Messina Bridge
- Religion
- Sport
- Notable people
- Actors
- Artists and designers
- Politicians, civil service, military
- Musicians, composers
- Religion
- Sport
- Researchers, academics
- Others
- Literary references
- Twin Towns
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Bibliography
- in English
- in Italian
- External links
Messina ( , ; ) is a harbour city and the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of 217,033 inhabitants in the city proper and 595,948 in the metropolitan city as of 2025. It is located near the northeast corner of Sicily, at the Strait of Messina and it is an important access terminal to Calabria region, Villa San Giovanni, Reggio Calabria on the mainland.
Founded by the Sicels with the name of Zancle in 757 BC, which in their language meant sickle, it was repopulated by Greek colonists of Magna Graecia and renamed Messana. The city was renamed Messina in the Byzantine age. It was an important Roman, and then Greek-Byzantine city, but in 843 it was completely destroyed by the Arabs. Almost abandoned during the Islamic period, it rose again in the Norman era and reached the height of its grandeur between the late Middle Ages and the mid-17th century, when it competed with Palermo for the role of capital of the Kingdom of Sicily.
Gallery (52)
On the map
Connections
Categories
8th-century BC establishments in ItalyCities and towns in SicilyCoastal towns in SicilyCumaean coloniesEuboean colonies of Magna GraeciaGreek city-statesMediterranean port cities and towns in ItalyMessinaMessinianMunicipalities of the Metropolitan City of MessinaPopulated places destroyed by earthquakesPopulated places established in the 8th century BC