Itala, Sicily

Itala
Comune di Itala
view
Location of the municipality of Itala within the metropolitan city of Messina
Location of Itala
Itala Location of Itala in Italy Show map of Italy Itala Itala (Sicily) Show map of Sicily
Coordinates: 38°03′04″N15°26′13″E / 38.05111°N 15.43694°E / 38.05111; 15.43694
Country	Italy
Region	Sicily
Metropolitan city	Messina
Frazioni	Borgo, Casaleddo, Croce, Mannello, Marina di Itala, Quartiere del Medico (Quartarello)
Government
• Mayor	Daniele Laudini (lista civica Io amo Itala)
Elevation	210 m (690 ft)
Population  (30 June 2025)
• Total	1,527
Demonym	italesi
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	98025
ISTAT code	083036
Website	Official website

Itala is a comune (municipality) of Messina in the Italian region Sicily. ^[1] and is 22 km from the centre of Messina. It was suppressed in 1928 and aggregated to Scaletta Zanclea, from which it regained autonomy in 1947.

Itala borders the following municipalities: Alì, Alì Terme, Fiumedinisi, Messina, Scaletta Zanclea.

Physical Geography

The center of Itala is 2.8 km from the respective hamlets: Marina; Croce; 1.5 km; Borgo; Mannello and Quartarello; 200 m. Marina, which extends for approximately 1.8 km, is connected to Itala Centro by Provincial Road 29 and is crossed by State Road 114 Orientale Sicula.

Origins of the Name

The origin of the name "Itala" has been the subject of research primarily because of its similarity to the name "Italy." According to historian Giuseppe Costanzo Buonfiglio, the name "Itala" derives from its mythical founder, "King Italo," son of Enotro. ^[1]

One theory, according to the historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus, who in turn cites Antiochus of Syracuse, posits the name "Italia" (and presumably also "Itala") likely derives from its mythical founder "Italus," son of Oenotrus (the youngest of fifty sons of Lycaon from Arcadia): ^[2]

And Antiochus of Syracuse,⁠ a very early historian, in his account of the settlement of Italy, when enumerating the most ancient inhabitants in the order in which each of them held possession of any part of it, says that the first who are reported to have inhabited that country are the Oenotrians.

His words are these: "Antiochus, the son of Xenophanes, wrote this account of Italy, which comprises all that is most credible and certain out of the ancient tales; this country, which is now called Italy, was formerly possessed by the Oenotrians."

Then he relates in what manner they were governed and says that in the course of time Italus came to be their king, after whom they were named Italians; that this man was succeeded by Morges  [ it ], after whom they were called Morgetes, and that Siculus, being received as a guest by Morges and setting up a kingdom for himself, divided the nation. After which he adds these words: "Thus those who had been Oenotrians became Sicels, Morgetes and Italians."

—  Dionysius of Halicarnassus, The Roman Antiquities, via penelope.uchicago.edu ^[2]

Monuments of and places ofinterest

Church of Santi Pietro e Paolo (XI sec.)

Religious architecture

• Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul: is located in center of Itala and dates from (at least) the 11th century, during the Arab-Norman period ^[1]
• Church and Convent of Santa Venera, dating back to the seventeenth century.

Civil architecture

• Town Hall - Municipality of Itala is one of the town's most iconic buildings, a symbol of local administration and the bond between the community and its institutions. ^[1]

Nature Reserves

Mount Scuderi, part of the Peloritani mountain range, is 1,253 meters high and lies within the municipalities of Fiumedinisi, Itala, and Alì. It is part of the Fiumedinisi and Mount Scuderi Nature Reserve. ^[3] .

Demographic evolution

Foreign ethnicities and minorities

As of December 31, 2024, foreigners residents in the municipality were 60, i.e. 3.1% of the population. ^[4] The largest foreign community is that from Romania, with 31.1% of all foreigners present in the town. ^[5]

External links

• Geographic data related to Itala, Sicily at OpenStreetMap
• Pro Loco Giovannello da Itala

References

1. "Living the Municipality". comune.itala.me.it. Retrieved 2025-08-01.
2. "The Roman Antiquities (Book 1), by Dionysius of Halicarnassus". penelope.uchicago.edu.
3. Regione Siciliana (ed.). "Oriented Nature Reserve of Fiumedinisi and Monte Scuderi". riservafiumedinisi.it. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
4. ISTAT (ed.). "Demographic balance and foreign resident population as at 31 December 2024 by gender and citizenship" . Retrieved 3 July 2025.
5. cittadini stranieri tuttiitalia.it