Satellite photo of the Strait of Messina, taken June 2002. Image courtesy of NASA.

The Strait of Messina is the narrow section of water between the eastern tip of Sicily and the southern tip of Italy. A natural whirlpool forms there, which has been inaccurately linked to the legend of Charybdis.

A ferry connects Messina (Sicily) with the mainland at Villa San Giovanni in Calabria. There is also a hydrofoil service from Messina to Reggio di Calabria.

In 1957 a 220kV-overhead powerline was built across the strait of Messina. Its pylons belong to the highest of the world. This powerline was meanwhile replaced by an underwater cable, but the pylons are still there because they are under monumental protection. (See pylons of Messina.)

Every five or ten years, major debates have ensued in Italy about building a bridge that would connect the island of Sicily to the mainland. In recent years advances in technologies have made the construction of the bridge possible. A bridge has been planned and designed. When built, the Strait of Messina Bridge will be the largest single span bridge in the world, with a span of 3,300 m (about 2 miles). The current design is scheduled to start work in 2005 and completing the bridge in six years, at a projected cost of 4.6 billion euro.

External link

• Bridge design site (English version)