Today, the Church of the Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani is the University of Messina’s chapel, but you can still admire the handsome western facade with three 13th-century doors, almost perfectly intact. Inside are rows of towering Corinthian columns in yellow, white, and red stone and a unique apse that blends Romanesque and Moorish architectural features. The most famous work of art is a statue of Don Juan of Austria with his foot resting on the head of the Ottoman commander, Ali Bassa. This historic church is one of Messina’s most remarkable sights, covered in walking or Segway tours of the city along with the 12th-century Duomo, bell tower and astronomical clock, and the Regional Museum of Messina.
Located in the historic center of Messina near the coastline, the church is a short walk from the train station and cruise and ferry port.
Like all Sicilian cities, Messina can be uncomfortably hot at midday, which is the perfect time to find a few minutes of refuge in one of its cooler churches.
Each day at noon, the bell tower of Messina’s Cathedral puts on a spectacular 12-minute show as the gilded statues on the historic astronomical clock begin to move. Bells chime, the lion roars, the rooster crows, statues strike the hour, and mechanical figures depict allegorical and biblical scenes for a rapturous crowd below.
