Strait of Messina
From Free net encyclopedia
The Strait of Messina is the narrow section of water between the eastern tip of Sicily and the southern tip of Calabria. A natural whirlpool forms there, which has been linked to the legend of Scylla and Charybdis.
A ferry connects Messina (Sicily) with the mainland at Villa San Giovanni in Calabria. There is also a hydrofoil service from Messina to Reggio di Calabria.
In 1957 a 220-kV overhead powerline was built across the Strait of Messina. Its pylons are among the highest of the world. This powerline has since been replaced by an underwater cable, but the pylons are still there because they are under monumental protection. (See Pylons of Messina.)
Every five or ten years, major debates have ensued in Italy about building a bridge that would connect the island of Sicily to the mainland. In recent years advances in technologies have made the construction of the bridge possible. A bridge has been planned and designed. When built, the Strait of Messina Bridge will be the largest single-span bridge in the world, with a span of 3,300 m (about 2 miles). Work is scheduled to start in 2005 and will last six years, at a projected cost of 4.6 billion euro.ar:مضيق ميسينا da:Messinastrædet de:Straße von Messina et:Messina väin es:Estrecho de Messina fr:Détroit de Messine gl:Estreito de Messina is:Messínasund it:Stretto di Messina he:מצר מסינה lb:Strooss vu Messina nl:Straat van Messina ja:メッシーナ海峡 no:Messinastredet pl:Cieśnina Mesyńska pt:Estreito de Messina scn:Strittu di Missina sk:Messinský prieliv sl:Mesinska ožina sv:Messinasundet zh:墨西拿海峡