Annunziata dei Catalani Church
Annunziata dei Catalani Church
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
188 reviews
Excellent
112
Very good
58
Average
13
Poor
2
Terrible
3
Sharon H
Las Vegas, NV2,101 contributions
May 2019
This beautiful old brick-domed church was the only one to survive the 1908 earthquake. It was amazing to see how much lower the ground level was before the quake. The church was actually several feet below street level. Easy to access, it is right across the street from the cruise port.
Written 22 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Seeking True Quality
Europe4,836 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
Near the port, we found this gem, the old church of the Most Holy Annuciated! It was built during the Norman rule in Sicily on top of an older temple dedicated to Neptune. It miraculously survived the devastating 1908 earthquake!
We admired the beauty of the facade from all four sides - it is astonishing, with clear Byzantine and Arab architectural elements. Unfortunately, we could not see the interior. As we learned from the information panel, the church is opened only on a request made in advance!
We admired the beauty of the facade from all four sides - it is astonishing, with clear Byzantine and Arab architectural elements. Unfortunately, we could not see the interior. As we learned from the information panel, the church is opened only on a request made in advance!
Written 29 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ct-cruisers
Connecticut6,202 contributions
Oct 2011 • Couples
We were in Messina exploring and visiting churches. As we were walking from the Chiesa di Santa Maria Allemana towards the Duomo on Via Garibaldi, we came across the Church of the Annunciation of the Catalans (Annunziata dei Catalani).
It is unlike any other church we found in the city with its Norman-Arab-Byzantine architecture and multi-colored stones built in the 1100’s.
It is open to the public and we found it interesting.
Most people visit the Duomo and its famous clock tower, but they should take the time to walk the few blocks to visit this church as well.
It is unlike any other church we found in the city with its Norman-Arab-Byzantine architecture and multi-colored stones built in the 1100’s.
It is open to the public and we found it interesting.
Most people visit the Duomo and its famous clock tower, but they should take the time to walk the few blocks to visit this church as well.
Written 29 October 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glenda R
Merthyr Tydfil506 contributions
Sept 2013 • Couples
Great historical church just across the road from port in Messina. Could not find any literature on it or buy a postcard so had to read up about it when I arrived home. Free of charge and from this area you can get on the hop on hop off bus.
Written 17 September 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sondago
Messina, Italy136 contributions
Aug 2015 • Couples
According to local historians, the church was built before the Norman age on the ruins of a pagan temple dedicated to Neptune, or Venus. In reality the system has similarities with Sicilian ecclesiastical buildings, not prior to the Norman conquest, such as the basilica cruciform trend of the plant and the overhang of the presbyterial masses.
In the first half of the 14th century, under King Ludwig II of Aragon, the sacred building was declared the royal chapel and remained like that until 1507, when it will be attached to the hospital of foundlings.
Its planimetric system, perhaps because of seismic events that took place between 1169 and 1295, was halved, even retaining the original basilica plan with three naves.
In 1607 the church was assigned to the Theatine Fathers who stayed there until 1611 and then it was handed down to a Brotherhood of Catalan merchants.
Because of the serious damage caused by the earthquake of 1783 the monument underwent incongruous reconstruction and was completely incorporated into private ownership buildings.
The next earthquake in 1908 instead spared most of the structures brought to light by Valenti in '16.
In the '20s it was completed the restoration of transept and dome giving back the monument its remarkable outdoor decoration to the gallows.
But the foundations were not visible and the arrangement of adjacent road axis hid again the structures found in 1916.
The last restoration work carried out by the Superintendence of Messina in 2000-2001 with funding from the European Community has restored the monument the typological essentiality of Norman style.
In the first half of the 14th century, under King Ludwig II of Aragon, the sacred building was declared the royal chapel and remained like that until 1507, when it will be attached to the hospital of foundlings.
Its planimetric system, perhaps because of seismic events that took place between 1169 and 1295, was halved, even retaining the original basilica plan with three naves.
In 1607 the church was assigned to the Theatine Fathers who stayed there until 1611 and then it was handed down to a Brotherhood of Catalan merchants.
Because of the serious damage caused by the earthquake of 1783 the monument underwent incongruous reconstruction and was completely incorporated into private ownership buildings.
The next earthquake in 1908 instead spared most of the structures brought to light by Valenti in '16.
In the '20s it was completed the restoration of transept and dome giving back the monument its remarkable outdoor decoration to the gallows.
But the foundations were not visible and the arrangement of adjacent road axis hid again the structures found in 1916.
The last restoration work carried out by the Superintendence of Messina in 2000-2001 with funding from the European Community has restored the monument the typological essentiality of Norman style.
Written 25 July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Uludog
Cowes, Australia97 contributions
Apr 2014 • Couples
This 12th century church is small but very interesting by reason of the middle eastern architectural influence in its design.
Written 18 April 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DanielLifeguard
Island of Gozo, Malta251 contributions
Sept 2015 • Couples
This very old church is built at the previous street level, the one that was before the earthquake. It is 3m below the current street level.
Messina is literally built upon the ruins of the previous buildings. There was no cleanup of the rubble.
Messina is literally built upon the ruins of the previous buildings. There was no cleanup of the rubble.
Written 25 September 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GLS-ALS
Geneva, Switzerland334 contributions
Sept 2015 • Business
Probably the oldest church in Messina, very interesting from the outside with arabic influences (there were also Arab inscriptions decorating the door's frames), simple interior.
Written 13 September 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sglondon
London, UK221 contributions
Jan 2015 • Business
this is a relic of multi-national messina, when each community had their own church, in this case the catalans.
the church is nearly 1000 years old and well kept and well restored and it has survived several earthquakes, hence its being below street level as messina was rebuilt on the ruins after each earthquake.
worth a vist
the church is nearly 1000 years old and well kept and well restored and it has survived several earthquakes, hence its being below street level as messina was rebuilt on the ruins after each earthquake.
worth a vist
Written 13 January 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David S
Middlesbrough, UK2,398 contributions
Jul 2019 • Couples
Whilst exploring central Messina my wife and I stumbled on this amazingly beautiful church. A fully working church with lovely architecture and astonishing ambiance.
Written 21 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Danabonnie
Cary, Illinois
My ancestor Roger de Flor led the Catalan army and fought for the Aragon King Frederick ll in the 13th century based in Messina. Who can I contact to find records about him? I plan to visit Messina next September. Thank you for your time and interest. Dana Floor
Written 1 April 2017
Dear Dana Floor
Thank you for contacting us.
We will send your request to the chaplain of the Catalani's Church to understand if he can find records about your ancestor.
Unfortunately we can't give you an immediate answer but we will inform you as soon we will have any news.
Kind regards
Giacomo Chillè
Discover Messina
Written 3 April 2017
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