A fascinating story, that of the “Dreams Bridge” that connects the island to the continent, appreciated since the times of the Punic Wars and passed through Charlemagne and the Bourbons. Destroyed in 1908 by the devastating earthquake that struck Messina with the destruction of the city and highlighting the high seismic risk of the area, until 1981 the company Stretto di Messina was founded, responsible for the design of the work.
Ferdinand II of Bourbon in an 1855 print
The idea of connecting Calabria and Sicily is older than Italy itself: the first attempts to unite the two shores go back to the time of the ancient Romans, when Charlemagne also had thoughts. But it was not until 1840 that the King of the Two Sicilies – Ferdinand II of Bourbon – had what we would call a feasibility study for the construction of the bridge. But in view of the high cost of the work, he gave up: like many others after him.
The Alcántara Bridge is a Roman arch bridge built between the years 103 and 104 that crosses the Tagus River in the Spanish city of Alcántara in the province of Cáceres
After the unification of Italy, the bridge project came back into the limelight: in 1866 the Minister of Public Works, Stefano Jacini, commissioned another study to verify the possibility of connecting Scilla and Cariddi with a metal structure: but even in this case a stalemate .
Other projects and ideas will follow, which will not change the situation: in 1908, for example, the devastating Messina earthquake that will destroy the city made clear the earthquake danger in the area, and so the project was put on hold for a very long time. Fascist-era Italy will revive the idea. But even in this case, the proposed plans end up in the drawer.
A project for a bridge across the strait. We’ve been thinking about it since at least the 1840’s
After World War II, the country began to be rebuilt, and the idea of the bridge across the strait intrigued even the newborn republic. It was necessary, however, to arrive in 1969 when an “international competition of ideas” was announced for a road and rail crossing project across the strait. 143 projects were presented. 3.2 billion old lire were allocated for the preliminary studies, which also represented the first cost of the State and the Italians to finance a work that until now had only appeared in the papers of architects and technicians.
Among the winning projects: that of a “Tunnel in the middle of the water, anchored to the ground” with steel cables, then a three-span bridge, a single-span suspension bridge and also some versions of a suspension bridge with three or more spans.
The Strait of Messina, where the bridge is expected to be built, photographed in October 2022
In 1981 the company “Stretto di Messina” was founded, which was responsible for the design of the work. After various feasibility studies, the solution of the “single-span suspension bridge” was approved: in 1985 the Prime Minister at the time, Bettino Craxi, announced the construction of the bridge. However, once again the plan didn’t work out and in 1992, with the eruption of Tangentopoli, the work was moved to the attic.
Lunardi, Berlusconi and the model of the bridge across the Strait in 2004 Porta a Porta, Rai
But ten years later, the new prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, restarted the project. In 2005, Impregilo won the tender to build the bridge with a bid of 3.88 billion euros. In 2006 the company signs the contract. But when everything seems ready to start work, Berlusconi loses the elections and everything stops with the arrival of the second Prodi government, which considers the bridge “useless and harmful”.
The executive falls after only two years and the knight returns to the Palazzo Chigi and undertakes the construction of the bridge. This time it will be the sovereign debt crisis that will shelve any attempt.
The technical government of Mario Monti, between the rescue of Italy and many expenses to be cut, finishes the construction of the bridge, announcing that it will not happen and the company for the Strait of Messina is liquidated. But now the Meloni government plans to reactivate it immediately and five months after the oath, the Council of Ministers approves the work, defining it as a “historic day not only for Sicily and Calabria but for all of Italy after 50 years of Chiacchiere”. said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Matteo Salvini.