The One hundred year anniversary of an earthquake such as the one that took its toll on Messina and Reggio in 1908, offers a precious opportunity to reflect on one of the most catastrophic events that has hit Europe in modern times. The seismic phenomenon surpasses its physical nature and quickly turns into a social, cultural and administrative phenomenon. It represents an event of great historical impact that leaves its moral and physical scars on the area for decades. The commemorative journey presented in this book winds through a photo gallery that brings into focus the three highlights of the seismic phenomenon as related to man's life. The devastating effects on the buildings, along with the environmental disruption caused by the seaquake; the rescue and emergency operations; and life as it eventually returns to ?normality?. This book is a photographic document of history and art, of life and death, of grief and hope, with the intention to save the destroyed cities from oblivion.