Arena of the Strait

A venue for summer events and shows, the Arena dello stretto stands where the Porto Salvo Pier used to be before the 1908 earthquake. The architecture of the open theatre is clearly inspired by the ancient Greek tradition, and the view of the strait and the sea offers awe-inspiring panoramas. At the top, almost in the sea, stands a marble cippus built by the Messina sculptor Bonfiglio in 1932 and dedicated to Victor Emmanuel III, as the Porto Salvo Pier was the first Italian place he went immediately after being proclaimed king. The bronze statue in the centre of the marble cippus depicts the goddess Athena Promachos defending Reggio Calabria.