Italy - Messina, Sicily; Vallardi - Pianta della città di Messina - 1861-1880

Technical data

Title: Plan of the city of Messina at a scale of 1:9000.
Author: Fratelli Bonatti, responsible for the cartographic drawing; engraving by P. Allodi e Figlio. Milan
Draftsman: Fratelli Bonatti, signed “Frat. Bonatti dis.” in the lower left margin.
Engraver: P. Allodi e Figlio, signed in the lower right margin.
Publisher: Doctor Francesco Vallardi, typographer-publisher.
Place: Milan.
Period: second half of the 19th century, circa 1870.
Technique: copperplate engraving with line work, manually colored in watercolor.
Support: paper.
Dimensions: sheet 41.5 × 60.5 cm; engraved part 36 × 54.5 cm.
Composition: single vertical sheet, with title at the top right, orientation indicator, graphic scale and numbered legend of the main buildings at the bottom right.
Represented territory: Messina, the port and immediate surroundings, in northeastern Sicily, Italy; stretch of the Strait of Messina facing the city.

Description

19th-century topographic plan of Messina, depicted with its characteristic crescent-shaped port, coastal fortifications and inland hills. The 1:9000 scale describes the urban fabric through blocks, streets, squares and buildings, extending to the suburbs and surrounding cultivated areas.
A particular emphasis is placed on the port system, with the Star-shaped Citadel, the Fortress of the Holy Savior, the Lazaretto and the Lighthouse. On the landward side are indicated the Gonzaga Fortress, the Castellaccio Fortress and the reliefs that delimit the city. Also shown are the Duomo, the Royal Palace, military spaces and railway infrastructures, including the “Temporary Station.”
The coloring distinguishes the built-up area in brick red, the green and cultivated areas in green, and the waters in blue. The relief is rendered with dense hatching, while the sea surface contains numerous depth indications. A note specifies that elevations and depths are expressed in meters and refer respectively to sea level and standard low tides. The numbered legend allows identifying public offices, institutions, churches and other buildings of civic interest.

Historical-artistically note

The map documents the urban and port layout of Messina in the second half of the 19th century, preserving memory of the city prior to 20th-century transformations. The juxtaposition of the historic core, fortifications, suburbs and railway infrastructure highlights its value for the study of urban history.
The layout combines topographic precision and readability: the drawing of blocks, the hatching of hills and nautical information provide a detailed description of the city and its relationship with the Strait. The watercolor coloring emphasizes the distinction between the different components of the territory without obscuring the engraved detail.

Condition Report

Copy in good overall condition, with slight waviness and handling folds of the support. mild yellowing and scattered small oxidations, more evident along the margins and on the verso. Irregular lower edge, with marginal browning. The cartographic part is clearly legible and the verso is white, with slight traces of dirt and handling marks.