Photo: Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Fortress / Tower, 1200
Fortifications of Messina
Series of defensive walls and other fortifications which surrounded the city of Messina, Sicily
At a glance
- Type
- Fortress / Tower
- Period
- Middle Ages, 1200
- Commissioned by
- Kingdom of Sicily
- Protection
- Italian national heritage
- Coordinates
- 38°11′31″ N, 15°33′02″ E
- Address
- Via Peculio frumentario
History and description
The fortifications of Messina were a series of defensive walls and other fortifications which surrounded the city of Messina, Sicily. The first walls were built during the Middle Ages in around 1200. A system of bastioned fortifications was constructed around the city in the 1530s and 1540s. The fortifications were modified over the years, with the last major addition being the Real Cittadella, which was built in the 1680s. Most of the walls were demolished in the 19th and 20th centuries, but some parts of the walls still survive today.
History
The first walls around Messina were built in around 1200.
In the 1680s, the Real Cittadella was built, and it was intended for both coastal defence and to establish a strong garrison in the city to prevent the population from revolting.
The city of Messina and its fortifications changed hands a number of times in the first half of the 18th century during the War of the Quadruple Alliance and the War of the Polish Succession.
During the Sicilian revolution of 1848, rebels managed to capture most of the fortifications, with the exception of the Real Cittadella and Forte del Santissimo Salvatore. The forts' defenders bombarded the city until a relief force crushed the revolution in 1849.
The fortifications remained in active use until the 1850s, when the government of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies began dismantling some of the walls, including the city's main gates. Despite this, the Real Cittadella and some other forts remained in use, and saw action during Garibaldi's Expedition of the Thousand in 1860–61, when they capitulated to Piedmontese forces after a siege.
After the earthquake of 1908, parts of Forte del Santissimo Salvatore were demolished. Most of the Real Cittadella was also demolished in the 1920s.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Fortifications of Messina».
Timeline
- 1200Built
Events and people from Wikidata (CC0).
Getting there
Messina CentraleTrain, nearest
1.2 km as the crow flies
Fortifications of MessinaVia Peculio frumentario
Messina Cruise Terminal700 m
Aeroporto di Reggio Calabria - Tito Minniti15.8 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
Loading map…
Nearby
See on the mapMore fortresses and towers in Sicily
- UNESCO
Frequently asked questions
Where is Fortifications of Messina?
Fortifications of Messina is in Messina, in the province of Messina (Sicily), Italy. Address: Via Peculio frumentario. GPS coordinates: 38.19189, 15.55056.
How old is Fortifications of Messina?
Wikidata dates it to 1200.
What else is there to see near Fortifications of Messina?
Nearby you’ll find: Territorial Abbey Santissimo Salvatore (100 m away), Palazzo del Monte di Pietà (400 m away), Palazzo Calapaj - d'Alcontres (400 m away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 1 photos
- Juvarra disegno23d 1800 — Public domain
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences