Parco Museo Jalari – A Visit to the Tools of the Past

The city of Messina lies on the Northeastern tip of Sicily; at a one hour’s drive West of Messina is the town of Barcelona Pozzo di Gotto, the largest town in the municipality of Messina.   A drive up the hills that are the backdrop to the town of Barcelona Pozzo di Gotto will lead to Parco Museo Jalari.  This open air museum is dedicated to the old trades and offers a display of old tools for a variety of trades. The Park Museum lies in a beautiful natural setting, offering from its various corners a glimpse of  the Northern Coast of Sicily from up high on the hills.  As one walks along the paths adorned by trees and native plants, over forty workshops can be viewed each telling a piece of history.   From sewing and weaving, to grooming and shoe making, to wine making and other agricultural practices, one can see original artifacts of the trades utilized by artisans in the past.

One of the paths in the Parco Jalari

Sewing and weaving

Old wooden loom and embroidery loops

Shoe making

Old barber’s utensils

Old wine press

Old Sicilian cart wheels and tools

Old sewing machines and radio

Old irons in tailor’s shop

View of the Northern Coast from Parco Jalari

This is a place worth visiting on a trip to the Northern Coast of Sicily.