Orto botanico Pietro Castelli (Pietro Castelli Botanical Garden), Messina

The Pietro Castelli Botanical Garden is one of the oldest botanical gardens in Italy, originally founded in 1638 by Pietro Castelli, a Roman doctor and botanist. Initially named "Hortus Simplicium" or "Hortus Messanensis", the garden was established as part of the University of Messina to cultivate medicinal plants for scientific study.

After Castelli, the garden was directed by Marcello Malpighi in 1661, a pioneering scientist known as the founder of histology and plant anatomy. Many of his groundbreaking botanical observations were based on the plant species grown in this very garden. However, the garden was suppressed in 1678 following Messina’s anti-Spanish revolt, leading to its decline for over two centuries.

In 1889, the botanical garden was revived thanks to the efforts of Antonino Borzì, restoring its role as a center for botanical research and education. Today, the Pietro Castelli Botanical Garden is located in Piazza XX Settembre and remains a part of the University of Messina’s Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences.

It houses a vast collection of tree species from around the world, offering visitors a glimpse into the diversity of plant life and the city’s long-standing tradition of botanical study. With its rich history and continued dedication to plant sciences, the garden serves as both a living museum of nature and an important research institution, making it a fascinating destination for nature lovers, scholars, and tourists alike.