DUOMO DI MESSINA

Built in the 17th century during the reign of Roger, it was destroyed in the earthquake of 1908 and then burnt down in 1943. An attempt was made to rebuild it in its original style, reconstructing as faithfully as possible the Romanesque style with three naves, the mosaics and the woodwork inside. Despite the incalculable losses, the cathedral still preserves many treasures, such as the impressive tomb of Archbishop Palmieri, entirely carved in the 12th century. It has 3 beautiful 16th century portals with gothic forms, but above all a remarkable treasure on its bell tower: an astronomical clock which was made by the Ungerer company of Strasbourg in 1933. It is one of the largest in the world, and it comes alive every day at noon, during a musical show featuring all sorts of bronze characters. Not to be missed! You can also climb to the top of the campanile (60 m high) to admire the little automatons up close. The cathedral stands in the Piazza del Duomo, in the middle of which the Orion Fountain is located. This monumental work was created in 1553 by Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli, a student of Michelangelo. Orion is represented with his dog Sirio at his feet. Cherubim ride on dolphins, naiads and tritons decorate the small basins up to the large basin surrounded by statues. The bas-reliefs represent the myths of the transformations in the presence of the water element, taken from Ovid's Metamorphoses.