Map of the ancient city of Messina by Pietro Bertelli

Pietro Bertelli's detailed map of Messina, featured in his famous volume Theatrum Urbium Italicarum, first published in Venice in 1599, offers an extraordinary view of the city and its port. The engraving finely depicts the urban layout and main architectural elements, including the seafront with its imposing breakwater, the castle, and numerous sailing ships anchored or in motion. The scene is enriched by a precise identification of key buildings and structures, such as the Royal Palace, the Arsenal, the Torione del Salvatore, the New Arsenal, the Lighthouse Tower, the Torre Mozza, and the Church of S. Midi Giesu, all elements that give the view a realistic and monumental character.

In addition to the city of Messina itself, the map also includes views of the towns of Calabria, Torre di Pondimele, and La Catona on the opposite shore of the strait, thus outlining the surrounding geographical context. The refined quality of the engraving and the level of detail offer one of the earliest and most accurate representations of the Sicilian city, making this work not only a valuable cartographic tool for its time but also a historical and artistic document of considerable value. Pietro Bertelli's map stands out as a precious contribution to the visual knowledge of ancient Messina and to Italian urban cartography of the late Renaissance.

Unique quality material

Print on handmade Amalfi paper
Sheet size: 40 x 30 cm
With frame: 43 x 33 cm
Material: work printed on very high-quality handmade Amalfi paper with deckled edges
Frame: Light brown, made of beech wood and handmade wood pulp