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Messina Province
This most north-easterly province of Sicily ( Sicillia
) is actually a strip of land that occupies the northern
side of the coast as well as being the closest point
to the Italian mainland on Sicily.
The local cuisine is very heavily influenced by the
cities and countries that traded through the port at
Messina.
The area inland can be rather mountainous, though
the coastal areas often have beaches and harbours as
well as notably good seafood cuisine.
A great many tree fruits make up the local agriculture,
including citrus.
The capital city of Messina is the largest in the province
by far, as well as being the third largest in the region
and home to well over a quarter of a million people.
Messina city was originally known as Zānklpiattoe by
the Greeks who settled it in the 8th century BCE owing
to its large natural port shaped like a scythe. The
city was known through the middle ages as a site of
departure for the Crusades. Parts of Messina were nearly
destroyed by an earthquake in 1908 but several of the
major buildings remained unscathed.
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