San Filippo del Mela is a welcoming municipality in the province of Messina which has around 7000 inhabitants.
It is located in thehinterland of Milazzo in an optimal position to allow tourists to appreciate the beauty of the area and the magnificent coast facing the splendid Aeolian Islands. Let's discover in detail the history of the village and the various vicissitudes that have marked its evolution over the centuries.
The origins of San Filippo del Mela
La history and origins of San Filippo del Mela they probably date back to Greek and Roman times, so we are talking more or less about the XNUMXth century BC.
These estimates were made by scholars taking into account the numerous archaeological finds from the Greek and Roman era found throughout the municipal territory.
The Greeks arrived in Sicily during the XNUMXth century BC, in particular they colonized the province of Messina, creating various religious structures and laying the foundations so that communities could be created that contributed to the growth and glory of the polis. In fact in all likelihood, scholars and historians have been able to highlight how near Contrada Reilla a was built dedicated temple to the cult of Diana Facellina or ad Artemide, while near the current one Contrada Archi a was created navigable channel which in that period was used as entrance of the Naulochus.
It is an infrastructure and a futuristic work for the period because it made it possible to optimize trade by allowing the obtaining of a large basin. Among other things, it is precisely in this place that one of the most important battles of the Roman era who saw on one side the 300 ships led by Sextus Pompeius and on the other those of Ottaviano Augusto. The battle occurred on September 3rd of the year 36 before the birth of Christ.
The Norman era in San Filippo del Mela
Even San Filippo del Mela, like many other places in Sicily, had to deal with various dominations that allowed innovation to be brought about. Between 1082 and 1088 this area was conquered by the Normans, in particular the Count Ruggero D'Altavilla who defeated the Arabs and decided to build a monastery of Basilian monks and church dedicated to San Filippo which then gave its name to the community that developed nearby.
To underline the importance of this monastery, just think that it had the right to ask for taxes from the farmers of the fiefdom in the amount of a twentieth part of their harvest. In March 1094 the monastery and all the lands of this fiefdom were transferred to the ownership of a new diocese of Patti and therefore to the prelature of Santa Lucia. It was a period of great development which necessarily changed in the 1542th century because the monastic community ceased for unknown reasons and the earthquake of XNUMX practically destroyed everything that had been built resulting in many deaths.
The rebirth of San Filippo del Mela in the nineteenth century
The centuries ranging from the 1812th to the 1820th century were particularly difficult for the fiefdom of San Filippo due to the aforementioned earthquake and other cataclysms which made the development of the population difficult from all points of view. In 16, due to a fairly small population, it was decided to place the territory under the political control of the municipality of Santa Lucia. This went on until 1853, while on 1877 October 25, by virtue of a royal decree, the political autonomy of the municipality of San Filippo was recognized with the creation of the municipal house even if the transition phase lasted a very long time, so much so that the first official document bearing the wording of the municipality of San Filippo del Mela dates back to XNUMX, so about XNUMX years later.
The modern era
San Filippo del Mela, being located near Milazzo, was affected by the epic adventure of the Thousand driven by Garibaldi who on 20 July 1866 became protagonists of the battle of Milazzo.
In various districts of the town there were rather bloody clashes between the few members of the Bourbon army and the troops led by Garibaldi in this specific case by General Giacomo Medici. Many citizens also took part in the clashes, proving particularly courageous and worthy. After the unification of the Kingdom of Italy, there was a period of great development from an infrastructural point of view with many public works that allowed a constant development of the population such as the construction of the station, the steam tramway, the railway station inaugurated in 1890 and the telegraph service in 1894. Furthermore, in 1930 the new school complex was inaugurated.
