Messina


Messina


This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the ferry port of Messina, the main gateway from Sicily to the Italian mainland. The straights of Messina are only two miles wide at their narrowest point, although the main ferry route from Messina to Villa San Giovanni is about five miles. Messina was visited during August 2003 on a P&O cruise on the Oceana.



Messina was founded as Zancle in 724 BC by the inhabitants the Siculi, who were associated with the Greeks. Greek legend placed the six-headed monster Scylla (Scilla) and the whirlpool Charybdis (Cariddi) in the Straits of Messina, and the first two train ferries of 1896 were named after them. In 493 BC the city was taken by Anaxilas, and renamed after his native city of Messene in the Peloponnese. It took part in wars against Athens, and was destroyed in 396 BC by the Carthaginians. It was rebuilt in 288 BC, and aligned itself with Rome, Augustus establishing a Roman colony in 36 BC. In AD 843 Messina was taken by the Saracens, and then fell to the Normans in 1060 who built the cathedral in 1092. The city was independant for 400 years until 1678, when it was sacked by the Spaniards. Between 1740 and 1908 Messina suffred a series of disasters from plague, earthquake, cholera and bombardment by a Neapolitan fleet, ending with a further major earthquake in 1908 which climed 100,000 lives. It was not until the 1930s under Mussolini that Messina made real progress towards complete recovery, and the impressive railway and maritime stations were built at this time. Air-raids in 1943 killed another 5000 inhabitants, and reduced much of the reconstruction to rubble.

The railway arrived at Reggio on the mainland in 1886, and ferries ran from here to Messina. The first train ferries were built in 1896, and they operated between Messina-Villa San Giovanni. The ferries were nationalised with the railways as part of Ferrovie Stato (FS) in 1905. The full history of these ferries is shown on this link. Small "bidirezionali" ferries have been run by independant operators carrying passengers and vehicles in competition with the State Railways for many years. Caronte Shipping and the Franza Group jointly operate services between Messina-Villa San Giovanni and Messina-Reggio di Calabria. In 1998, and new operator Meridiano began competing between Messina-Reggio di Calabria, but the ships on this service in 2003 were all Caronte ships, so I presume they have been taken over.



Links to Sections on this Page:-
Messina Harbour - Train ferry port connecting to the Italian mainland.
Messina Maritime Station Interiors
Messina Trams - The new tramway opened 2003
Ferrovie Stato (FS) - Italian State Railways train ferries
Independent Ferries - Private operator ferries from Messina

Links to Associated Pages:-
Ferrovie Stato (FS) - Page 1 - Fleet history from 1905-68
Ferrovie Stato (FS) - Page 2 - Fleet history from 1969-2003
Messina Trams
Statens Järnvägar (SJ) - Swedish Railways Train Ferries
Oceana Cruise - P&O Cruise visiting Messina in August 2003
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page

Search This Website:-
powered by FreeFind




Messina Harbour Station

This postcard shows the protected entrance to Messina harbour. FE (Italian State Railways) leave from the maritime station in at the bottom of the picture - most of the independant operator ferries (except Meridiano) leave from the bay in the top right.


Another aerial view of the entrance to Messina harbour.


The curved departure hall for the maritime station is clearly shown in this postcard.



Photograph from the port side Sibari showing an empty train ferry dock, and the passenger loading gantry.
These gantries are not currently in use - all foot passengers board via the car ramp.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.


Photograph from the starboard side of Sibari showing an empty train ferry dock, and the passenger loading gantry.
These gantries are not currently in use - all foot passengers board via the car ramp.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.


A closer view of the passenger loading gantry.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.


Bow of Iginia as she enters the ferry dock. Cars and foot passengers are loaded via a side ramp through the gates shown.
Trains enter through the bow door on the deck below.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.








Messina Maritime Station Interiors

The maritime and railway station of Messina, built in the Mussolini era between 1936 and 1940, is an important example of the Italian modern architecture of this epoch, as well as for the work of its architect, Angiolo Mazzoni. The main building of the Maritime Station is the magnificent curved departure hall shown in the images below. The black boxes on the right hand wall are illuminated departure indicators located by the exits to the three main train ferry docks. These are still working - although these exits are no longer in use! One can walk through them onto the gantries which lead to the starboard side of the ships (useful for photography), but the ramps giving access to the ship are not lowered - all passengers currently board via the car deck and no longer pass through this huge hall (apart from the lone tramp sleeping beneath Mussolini). The whole station is undergoing restoration at present, and I have copied a web article by Vincenzo Tiziano Aglieri Rinella onto this link. Quite what will happen to the restored station complex once the Messina bridge is opened is not made clear. The article is also silent on the subject of the huge mural, depicting Mussolini as its centrepiece.


The Messina maritime station departure hall.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.



On the back wall of the departure hall is a huge mural, the subject matter of which gave me quite a surprise, featuring a centrepiece of Mussolini riding an imperial eagle, surrounded by storm troopers, his navy, plus assorted workers, farmers, ancient Romans etc. I would be fascinated to learn more about this mural, and what its future is.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.






Messina Trams

There is a dedicated page on Messina Trams, with additional photographs.


Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.


Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.






Ferrovie Stato - Italian State Railways

The railway arrived at Reggio on the mainland in 1886, and ferries ran from here to Messina. The first train ferries were built in 1896, operating between Messina and Vila san Giovanni. The ferries were nationalised as Ferrovie Stato (FS) in 1905. The full history of these ferries is shown on this link. In 2003 there remained five large train ferries (all of which also carry cars), five smaller "bidirezionali" ferries, and three fast ferries on FS services from Messina. In 2003, the ferries were being repainted in the new Bluvia livery.


The oldest serving train ferries are the Iginia, Sibari and Rosalia, built between 1969-72. A page devoted to these three ferries is available on this link. This early morning photograph shows the three ships together in Messina. Rosalia (left) has received the new Bluvia livery, whilst Sibari (centre) and Iginia (right) remain in FS colours.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.


This early morning photograph shows Sibari (left) and Iginia (right).
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.


Two new ferries were added in 1985, the Scilla and Villa.
The photograph below shows (left-right) Rosalia, Scilla, Sibari and Villa.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.


There are five "bidirezionali" ferries, Agata, Fata Morgana, Pace, Riace and Enotria were built between 1973 and 2002. The oldest, Agata and Pace, carry road vehicles only, whilst the later three can also carry rolling stock. The photograph below shows Enotria and Riace (behind).
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.


Three fast monohull ferries, Segesta Jet, Selinunte Jet and Tindari Jet were built by Rodriguez in Messina in 1998/99. They operate between Messina and Reggio di Calabria airport. The photograph shows Selinunte Jet and Scilla.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.






Independant Ferry Operators

Small "bidrezionali" ferries have been run by independant operators carrying passengers and vehicles in competition with the State Railways for many years. Caronte Shipping and the Franza Group jointly operate services between Messina-Villa San Giovanni and Messina-Reggio di Calabria. In 1998, and new operator Meridiano began competing between Messina-Reggio di Calabria, but the ships on this service in 2003 were all Caronte ships, so I presume they have been taken over. Ferries had all been small double-ended or landing craft types until recently, but ex-Norwegian Ostfold and Vestfold are much larger.


Official Caronte Shipping postcard showing vessels from their fleet at Messina.


Postcard of Caronte Shipping showing vessels and Messina terminal.


Postcard of Caronte Shipping showing vessels and Messina terminal.


Caronte Shipping Ostfold.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.


Caronte Shipping Vestfold leaving Messina.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 27th August 2003.


Meridiano ferry Caronte on the Messina-Reggio di Calabria service.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.


Meridiano ferry Caronte on the Messina-Reggio di Calabria service.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.


Meridiano ferry Ulysse on the Messina-Reggio di Calabria service.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.


Meridiano ferry Ulysse on the Messina-Reggio di Calabria service.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.


Early morning photo of Meridiano ferry Ulysse on the Messina-Reggio di Calabria service.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.





Ferrovie Stato (FS) - Page 1 - Ferrovie Stato (FS) - Page 2 - Messina Trams
Statens Järnvägar (SJ - Swedish Train Ferries)
Ferry Postcards - Cruise Ship Postcards - Ocean Liner Postcards
Top of Page - Simplon Postcards Home Page

©1999-2003 Copyright Ian Boyle/Simplon Postcards (all pages on web site) All Rights Reserved