Palazzo Zanca, Municipal palace in Messina, Italy
Palazzo Zanca is Messina's city hall, a Neoclassical building constructed from 1914 to 1924 to designs by Antonio Zanca, covering about 12,000 m². Its light stone facade has six tall columns across the main storey, a triangular pediment with sculpted figures and the inscription "MUNICIPIO", and statues on the roofline. The central pediment shows the Queen of Peloro holding a trident between two reclining sirens.
The original city hall stood within Simone Gullì's 17th-century Palazzata along the harbour and was badly damaged by the 1783 earthquake. Destroyed in the 1908 earthquake, it was rebuilt from December 1914 under the Palermo architect Antonio Zanca and finished in 1924.
The palace displays mythological figures in its bas-reliefs that have long been connected to the local identity. These representations shape the appearance of the facade and remind visitors of the city's ancient stories.
The building is located in central Messina and is easily accessible on foot. Keep in mind that this is an active government building, so access to certain areas may be restricted.
Ancient walls from the Magna Graecia period remain preserved within the building and connect modern governance with classical antiquity. These archaeological remnants tell the story of the city's long history before this modern structure was built.
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