The bell tower of Messina

The clock that marks time

Have you ever seen, even if only in photos, the bell tower of the church of the Cathedral of Messina? No?! Well, then it’s time to organize a trip to the Sicilian city to admire this masterpiece. Of course Sicily Day By Day will bring you on board comfortable cars, and also with this post and some pictures.
Are you ready? Let’s go!

The tower bell and its symbols

Imagine yourself in the square, right in front of the bell tower: you will notice that the clock is enriched with sculptures and allegorical representations. In the lower part there are 7 Greek divinities representing the days of the week. A little higher up there is a carousel that, turning every 15 minutes, shows statues representing the phases of life: a child, a young man, a warrior and an old man. Their passage is observed by a skeleton with a scythe: the death that observes, patient, the passagge of time.
Even higher up, a mechanical pigeon takes flight every day at noon and a church rises from the rock: this is the representation of the legend of the construction of the Church of Montalto.

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Look even higher. See here 4 biblical scenes representing the liturgical calendar: the Nativity, the Adoration of the Magi, Easter and Pentecost. Under the bells there is the Madonna of the letter: the Virgin holds nìin her hands the letter with which she promised to the city of Messina to protect it. Finally, two women, Dina and Clarenza, ring the bells: they are two heroines from Messina who managed to stop the Angevins during Sicilian Vespers. At the highest point there is a lion who, showing the flag of Messina, roars 3 times every day at noon.

So..what are you waiting for? Ask us for your tour in Messina to admire this beautiful clock with its bell tower but also to taste the Sicilian delicacies, and take advantage of it to take a nice tour of Sicily to discover its natural parks and all the treasures it holds!