The Literary Park in Roccalumera

The Salvatore Quasimodo Literary Park in Roccalumera

The poet and writer Salvatore Quasimodo he spent his entire childhood in Roccalumera, in the province of Messina, the place where his family lived and where he was not born only because his mother coincidentally was in Modica at the time of the birth.

It is obvious, then, that there has always been a very close relationship between Roccalumera and the poet, so much so that a few years ago the town decided to honor him by dedicating a real literary park to him. What does it consist of and what can you admire inside?
Here is everything you need to know to visit the Salvatore Quasimodo Literary Park in Roccalumera.

Salvatore Quasimodo Literary Park in Roccalumera: history of the place

The Salvatore Quasimodo Literary Park in Roccalumera was born from a project by the brothers Carlo and Sergio Mastroeni who were able to avail themselves of the help of a member of the poet's family, namely his son Alessandro Quasimodo, who today divides his time between his theatrical and cinematographic production and his collaboration with the museum which celebrates his father's exploits.

The museum was wanted to honor one of the most illustrious exponents of Roccalumera but also to allow visitors to discover the beauties of this place, following a thematic itinerary that touches all the places that were dear to the poet.

The idea came to life at the end of the Eighties, in the wake of the will of the Ippolito Nievo Foundation, unfortunately however its realization is much more recent as only with the support of the European Union and towards late nineties, the idea was translated into reality.

The Salvatore Quasimodo Literary Park in Roccalumera has been active since 1998 and since then has attracted numerous visitors who combine the route to deepen their knowledge of the poet's life and works with a tour to discover the most beautiful corners of the place that hosts it.

The architecture and any works of art present

We talk about a literary park because in reality it is not just a single building that houses historical finds and memorabilia belonging to the poet but a route that touches several points, each of which has had a certain importance for the author.
The visit starts from the ancient literary station which houses some of the objects that belonged to Salvatore Quasimodo: the place was chosen not only for its architectural beauty but also in honor of the poet's father and his grandfather, both employees of the Railways.

Here the museum is made up of three rooms, one dedicated to childhood, one to youth and one to the Milanese years. In addition to the train station, the Salvatore Quasimodo Literary Park in Roccalumera is also part of the Saracen Tower, not only a symbol of the town but also a place where Salvatore played a lot as a child with his brother: he also dedicated one of his works to the Tower.

Outside the station, there is the garden museum which was organized along the old abandoned tracks and also houses conference rooms and another exhibition hall. Finally, it is part of the route even if it cannot currently be visited as the palace in which the Quasimodo family lived for many years is privately owned.

What is possible to do in the surroundings or inside the Salvatore Quasimodo Literary Park in Roccalumera

In the exhibition rooms that are part of the Salvatore Quasimodo Literary Park in Roccalumera you can admire many of the objects that really belonged to the poet. It certainly is the Old Railway Station which is richer in curiosities divided into the various areas. For example, in the first room there are many of the original furnishings that were in the house in Roccalumera in which the Quasimodo family lived but also the poet's youthful notes and writings.
In the second room, however, visitors can admire Salvatore's private correspondence, his work certificates as well as part of his important library. Finally, in the third room, there is perhaps what most attracts the curiosity of visitors as his study has been entirely reconstructed. Milan, the one in Corso Garibaldi 16: in addition to the furnishings that the poet had personally chosen, there is his degree, honours, photographs, everyday objects such as pens, lighters, etc.
Furthermore, it is possible to view all the audio and video material concerning the poet, his interviews and the RAI footage concerning the ceremony during which he was awarded the very prestigious Nobel Prize.

How is it possible to get to Roccalumera

To visit the Salvatore Quasimodo Literary Park in Roccalumera the way to go is really simple as the location is very well connected to all the other centers in Sicily.

In particular, those wishing to travel by car can travel along the A18 motorway from both Catania and Messina and exit at the Roccalumera toll booth itself. Furthermore, from Catania and Messina, it is also possible to travel the route by bus, thanks to the service made available by the Etna Trasporti company. Finally, the town also has a railway station which is served by the regional line that connects Messina and Catania.

©GualtieroP, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons