Museum of the Cathedral Treasury, Messina
The Museum of the Cathedral Treasury is located in the building of the Basilica and was opened in 2000, the reconstruction of which was organized by the Italian architect Livio Luca Trombetta and lasted for three years. The museum is divided into four rooms, which are located on two floors of the building.
Composition of the Museum of the Cathedral Treasury
Unordinary equipped premises of the museum create a special atmosphere of the demonstration of the collection. Exhibits are shown in the atmosphere of the starry sky, created by ceiling lamps. The museum's exhibits date back to the 10th-20th century.
Special attention should be paid to:
- Lamps from rock crystal with an unusual shape created around 969 to 1250. The work is recognized as one of the oldest in the museum. Crystals of the Egyptian Fatimid Era were used to create it. Lamps are cut from a single piece of rock crystal. Presumably it was originally used as an amphora or decorative vase and was later converted into an object that illuminated the chapel of Sacramento.
- The wooden crucifix was preserved after the earthquake of 1908 in one of the chapels of the region. The composition depicts Christ with arms outstretched, his head slightly tilted to the right, the pain on his face, his eyes closed, and his mouth ajar in his last breath. The author of the crucifixion is the master of Messina – Pilli, the creation of the work dates from the end of the 15th to the beginning of the 16th century.
- The statue of the three kings was created in 1640. The miniature depicts a solemn procession in the streets of the city of Epiphany, which consisted of the first nobility of the city, dressed in festive attire, with stars on their chests and lit torches in their hands.
- The Ciborium depicts the biblical scene of Issak's Sacrifice, made of gilded copper.
In general, the exposition of the museum is filled with a large number of marble statues, miniatures, amphoras, icons and gold items, each of which is a real treasure of Italy.
How to get there
The Museum of the Cathedral Treasury is located in the central part of Messina, on the Via Cesare Baptiste. There is no public transport in the city, so you can go to the museum only on foot.
Opening hours:
- from 09:00 to 13:00 and from 15:00 to 19:00 (from March to October);
- from 09:00 to 13:00 (October to March).
