Messina Cathedral facts for kids
The Messina Cathedral is a very old and important church located in Messina, a city on the island of Sicily, Italy. It's also known as the Duomo di Messina. This grand building is a Roman Catholic cathedral, which means it's the main church for the area's archbishop.
The cathedral was first built by the Normans, a group of people who ruled Sicily many centuries ago. It was officially opened in 1197 by Archbishop Berardo. Important people like Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor and Constance I of Sicily were there for the ceremony.
Over the years, the cathedral has faced many challenges. A huge earthquake hit Messina in 1908, causing terrible damage. Then, during World War II, bombs fell on the church in 1943, destroying much of its inside. After these events, the cathedral had to be rebuilt and repaired. Today's building is the result of these careful reconstructions.
Even after all the damage, some original parts survived, like a beautiful mosaic and a statue. The cathedral's tall tower is famous for holding the Messina astronomical clock. This clock is known as the largest and most complex mechanical and astronomical clock in the world!
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The Bell Tower's Story
The bell tower of Messina Cathedral has a long and interesting history. Like many old buildings in Messina, it has been damaged and rebuilt many times because of natural disasters, especially earthquakes.
Since the 1100s, the tower has been an important part of the cathedral. It's not just for bells; from its top, you can see amazing views of the Strait of Messina, the coast of Calabria, and the wide Ionian Sea.
Changes Through the Centuries
- 1559: Lightning struck the bell tower, causing a fire. It was rebuilt by an architect named Martino da Firenze.
- Until 1678: The tower's base used to store important old documents about the city's history. These were later moved to Spain.
- 1693: A big earthquake in eastern Sicily caused serious damage to the tower.
- 1783: Another series of strong earthquakes from southern Calabria made the top parts of the tower collapse.
- 1863: The old, short bell tower was taken down. Two new towers were built in a style called Gothic Revival architecture, which looked like older Gothic buildings.
The bell tower you see today was rebuilt after the devastating 1908 Messina earthquake. Its design was made to look like the original tower.
The Amazing Astronomical Clock
The current bell tower stands over 65 meters (about 213 feet) tall. It has a pointed roof and windows on all sides. Inside, it holds the incredible animated clock. This mechanical wonder was ordered in 1933 by Archbishop Angelo Paino from a company in Strasbourg, France.
This complex system is truly special. It's considered the largest and most complicated mechanical and astronomical clock anywhere in the world!
The Cathedral Bells
The bell tower is home to the biggest set of bells in all of Sicily. There are 8 large bells that are tuned to a musical scale. They were all made by the Colbachini company in Padua in 1929. Some of these bells can swing, while others are fixed but have hammers to strike them.
The cathedral also has two other very old bells. These were made in 1400 by Micheal Salicula. Amazingly, these two bells survived the terrible 1908 Messina earthquake!
See also
- History of early modern period domes
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