The Messina Fair
The hope that it will soon be able to return to its former glory today is stronger than ever.
The fair and the hopes
The Messina Fair has recently returned to the limelight of local news.
Citizens' perspectives on the future of the fair have improved a lot, now in Messina there is a very optimistic attitude about the fair. Thanks to the renovation projects , it could finally rediscover a bit of the ancient prestige , which the people of Messina so lacked. A return of the Messina Fair with the quality of the past would also be an excellent thing for tourism. It could once again be an occasion for celebration and discussion, for residents and tourists.
Today's use of the space of the Messina Fair
The demolition of the former theater in the fair is now temporarily suspended due to the discovery of four war devices dating back to the Second World War.
But, much more evident, is the fact that in recent days the fair has turned into a vaccination hub . The Covid-19 emergency is being tackled with vaccines on which the best scientists from around the world have been working tirelessly since the beginning of the pandemic. Today there are dozens and dozens of citizens who have gathered where the Messina Fair once flourished.
In years past, people went from hall to hall to check out exciting new products, new technologies and new ideas. And, of course, there was always room for the typical food products of Messina.
Rustici, starting with the characteristic and unmissable arancini , have always been synonymous with goodness and joy. They are specialties to be enjoyed with family or friends, an unmissable opportunity for tourists who have always been enchanted by the sublime taste of the typical Messina arancino.
The origins of the Messina Fair
Probably few people know how ancient the origins of the Messina Fair are.
The first fair , in fact, was commissioned by King Frederick III of Aragon in the spring of 1296 (more than 800 years ago!) who called it the " Frank Fair of the Holy Sepulchre ".
Originally the Fair was located outside the walls of Messina. Merchants from all over Europe converged on the first and only fair in Sicily . The city, thanks to its port and its strategic position , was able to offer the rarest and most valuable goods of the thirteenth century.
Testimonies of the time, in fact, inform us that in the fair of the Holy Sepulcher were:
- Fine fabrics
- Sought after spices
- Beautifully made jewellery
- Wooden sculptures.
It was undoubtedly a unique event!
The Messina Fair over the centuries
In 1421, Alfonso of Aragon moved the fair inside the city walls. The opening date of the event was postponed to 1 August , so that it coincided with the celebrations for the Blessed Assumption.
The start of the fair was, then as in more recent years, an event of the first order. It was celebrated with a parade that started from the Badiazza monastery . Furthermore, for the occasion, the abbess was given the faculty of remitting the sentence of a criminal.
The Crisis of the Fair
The fair's prestige suffered a setback at the end of the 17th century with the failure of the anti-Spanish revolt. But the real coup de grace came in 1908, with the terrible earthquake of Messina. The fair disappeared for over twenty-five years.
The return of the Messina Fair
It is in a spirit of resilience, however, that starting in 1934, citizens start holding an annual fair again . In those years it was held inside the Maurolico high school. It will be necessary to wait for 1938 to see the birth of the new environments located along the promenade , in a position that would give it greater prominence. They are just a couple of tram stops from our location.
Unfortunately however, in 1940 the fair was once again forced to stop and was heavily damaged by the bombing of the city. The very recent discovery of the bombs is clear evidence of this.
But Messina longed for its Fair , so in 1946 a new inauguration restored that annual festive occasion. The fair returned to being a nerve center of commerce in Sicily and an occasion for celebration for the people of Messina.
The Messina Fair in the future
The hopes of Messina are clear. We all hope that in the not too distant future the Fair will be able to return to its former glory. We can't wait to find out which technologies , products and delicacies will be presented at the Fair, which for years has been a golden opportunity for Sicilians and tourists from all over the world.