Considering the Grand Hotel Liberty in Messina?
A VT member wrote the following comment about visiting Messina:
the ''Assunta'' celebration by isolina_it
The celebrations for the Assunta without doubt attract the greatest number of Messinesi and visitors from both near and far, partly because the procession includes the famous gigants. These are two aspects of a single celebration which is rooted in the distant past. The festive floats of Messina have been famous since they were built in the 16th century. When Charles V arrived in Messina in 1535 on his way back from his african victory, he was amazed by the devotional floats. Don Giovanni of Austria felt the same emotion when, in 1571, he weighed anchor from Messina with a large Christian fleet to carry out a resounding victory over the Turks in the Battle of Lepanto. The float scenographically represents the theme of the Virgin?s Assumption into Heaven with a pyramid structure. In the lower part, the socalled ?Dormitio Virginis? is represented, while Jesus Christ is shown on the top delivering the Virgin?s soul into Heaven. The clouds on top represent the ?seven heavens?, that is, the exaltation of the float?s theme. This concept is reinforced by the presence of the sun, the moon, and little angels
