Monumento ai Caduti (Sacrario di Cristo Re)
On a hill sixty metres above Messina, a domed temple in pale stone rises over the octagonal tower of a medieval castle that the 1908 earthquake left half-standing. The two structures share the same footprint now — the Sacrario di Cristo Re was built around and over the surviving tower of Castello di Matagrifone, absorbing the ruin rather than clearing it.
Inside, 1,288 fallen from the Second World War and 110 from the First rest in niches that line the walls of two stacked temples. A marble sarcophagus at the lower level marks an Unknown Soldier. At sunset, a bell cast from melted enemy cannons — the third largest in Italy — tolls across the strait.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who come back tend to time it for dusk, when the bell sounds and the monument lights up against the darkening water. The belvedere named for sculptor Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli gives you the full sweep of the Strait of Messina and the Calabrian coast beyond — a view that makes the scale of what the monument commemorates feel less abstract.
The story behind Monumento ai Caduti (Sacrario di Cristo Re)
In 1925 a Ministry of Public Instruction decree protected the area around the ruined Castello di Matagrifone, whose octagonal tower had survived the catastrophic 1908 earthquake when the rest of the structure did not. Archbishop Angelo Paino then acquired the hilltop land and obtained ministerial authorisation to build a war memorial on the site, deliberately incorporating the tower into the new structure's base.
Architect Giovan Battista Milani designed the sacrario, drawing on the Basilica di Superga in Turin as a formal model. Engineer Francesco Barbaro oversaw construction, and the building was inaugurated in 1937. Sculptor Tore Edmondo Calabrò carved the Cristo Re figure at the entrance staircase; Antonio Bonfiglio produced the sarcophagus in the lower temple; Teofilo Raggio cast eight bronze figures of theological and cardinal virtues around the dome. A plaque inside commemorates the sailors lost at the naval Battle of Punta Stilo on 9 July 1940.
Good to know
The sacrario sits on Viale Principe Umberto, uphill from the city centre. Opening hours run Monday to Friday 9:00–12:30 and Saturday 9:00–14:00; confirm before visiting as hours may vary. Entrance to the church is free. The climb is short but the site is exposed, so mornings are cooler in summer.
The hilltop site is fully exposed. Summer visits — particularly July and August — mean full sun with little shade; early morning is the most comfortable window. Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures and clearer views across the strait.
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What travellers say about Monumento ai Caduti (Sacrario di Cristo Re)
Absolutely stunning and worth the walk (there's a decent amount of stairs until you reach the top). Beautiful views of Messina, a cafe nearby to sit and drink something.
Absolutely stunning and well worth the walk. Beautiful views of Messina from the top. Equally stunning inside. Very peaceful and emotional walking around observing the tomb of the unknown soldier, and even more so as you read the names of all the soldiers on the plaques where there remains are kept.
The church is absolutely huge, it has many beautiful details and fits perfectly in the view, it looks onto the whole town and onto the strait of Messina. There are some guided touris happening here if you sre into that but be cautious about the working hours!
If you ever visit Messina, make sure to stop by this church — it has an amazing view of the whole city and the Duomo. While you’re inside, take a closer look at the paintings to the right of the pulpit; they’re really worth seeing.
Well worth the climb up the hill (or do by tour bus or cab). Views over tge city are great. 5euro entry fee. A shame there is not more info boards inside to explain fully the building & its decoration. The look down into the crypt is interesting. Small museum inside Bell tower but very basic & dark. Around the back & under is the free crypt - honouring many war dead across the 2 WW"s. Very sombre area. Very interesting walk back down to the town via Sanctuary of Montalto (great view point).
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