Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Italy Messina Torri Morandi

Torri Morandi

An abandoned building that once tightened a power line that stretched across Messina Strait.

Messina, Italy

Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.p...
  space ca / Atlas Obscura User
  space ca / Atlas Obscura User
  space ca / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In the first half of the 1950s, an immense overhead power line was built over Messina Strait. The 3646 meter-long line was supported by the Pylons of Messina, two enormous towers that stretched the cables from Sicily to Porticello. While no longer in regular use, the towers are considered a tourist spot and were given national monument status.

While the pylons get all of the fanfare, an often overlooked but fascinating example of ingenuity still stands abandoned in Sicily. Torri Morandi, also known as Torri di Contrappesatura dei Cavi, was the station used to tighten the conductor cables. The Messina Strait Overhead Powerline Crossing was so long, it needed a special facility for tightening the conductors using counterweights. On the Sicilian side, two towers were built to hold counterweights. On the opposite side, the conductors were affixed in the usual manner at a strainer portal.

After the dismantling of the conductors in 1994, the building was left unused. However, there are interesting plans for future use. The building will be used as the terminal of a cableway, either running on the top of the former span pylon in Messina or across Messina Strait, and to house a Museum of Holography.

Related Tags

Inventions Electrical Oddities
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails

Savor local cuisine across Rome, Florence & Venice.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Edited By

Martin, Rachel, space ca

  • Martin
  • Rachel
  • space ca

Published

June 20, 2012

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1512196&highlight=
  • http://www.grafoeditor.it/link1.pdf
Torri Morandi
Messina, 98164
Italy
38.269504, 15.645326

Nearby Places

Pylons of Messina

Messina, Italy

miles away

Riace Bronzes

Reggio Calabria, Italy

miles away

Pentidattilo

Pentidattilo, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Messina

Messina

Italy

Places 3

Nearby Places

Pylons of Messina

Messina, Italy

miles away

Riace Bronzes

Reggio Calabria, Italy

miles away

Pentidattilo

Pentidattilo, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Messina

Messina

Italy

Places 3

Related Places

  • Tesla Coil

    Los Angeles, California

    Griffith Observatory's Tesla Coil

    High on a hill overlooking Los Angeles lives a world famous, high power conical Tesla Coil.

  • Gerbrandy Tower lit up for Christmas.

    IJsselstein, Netherlands

    Gerbrandy Tower

    For the holidays, the tallest broadcasting tower in the Netherlands turns into one of the world's tallest Christmas trees.

  • Cincinnati, Ohio

    American Sign Museum

    Where beautiful signs live on forever.

  • Ceredigion, Wales

    Sol Cinema

    The world's smallest movie theater runs on solar power—an attraction in itself.

  • The massive telescope array is visible from all over the small town

    Green Bank, West Virginia

    Green Bank: A Town for 'Wi-Fi Refugees'

    This rural community has attracted both scientists and techno-refugees due to its federally-mandated lack of technology.

  • Beijing, China

    The Amazing Robots of Wu Yulu

    A chinese farmer builds robots from scrap.

  • The Rosslyn Metro escalator. (Steven Cohen/Atlas Obscura)

    Arlington, Virginia

    Rosslyn Metro Escalator

    At 207 feet, one of the world's longest continuous escalators.

  • Noletmolen. (Wikimedia Commons)

    Schiedam, Netherlands

    Noletmolen

    Wind power station for making famous Ketel One vodka.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.