Gezicht op Messina vanuit het Hotel Crinaeria 1862 - 1876

This stereograph by Jean Andrieu captures Messina from the Hotel Crinaeria. At first glance, the ordered urban landscape presents a sense of civic pride and rational planning. Yet, it is the symbol of the piazza itself that intrigues me. The open square, a motif stretching back to antiquity, served as the heart of social and political life. Here, the rigid lines of buildings and evenly spaced lamps attempt to create a sense of order. But even in its constructed form, the piazza retains echoes of its ancient predecessors. Consider the Roman forum or the Greek agora—spaces of vibrant exchange and democratic discourse. This space, though seemingly tamed by modernity, still holds a memory of its past, revealing the persistent human need for communal space. The modern space becomes almost a stage where the drama of daily life unfolds. The piazza's enduring presence reminds us of the non-linear currents of history, where ancient symbols resurface in new forms, forever shaping our collective consciousness.