Sunday, January 7, 2018

Taormina, Italy postcard: "The most heavenly spot"


This turn-of-the-century postcard shows a scene from Taormina, an Italian municipality of about 11,000 residents (today) located on the eastern coast of the island of Sicily. It has long been, as you might imagine, a popular tourist destination. It's also a hot spot for writers — such D.H. Lawrence, Jean Cocteau, Halldór Laxness and Truman Capote — who are seeking solitude and inspiration.

Shown in this illustration is Strada san Pancrazio (strada meaning, roughly, "street"). That's the San Pancrazio Church in the distance, in the center of the postcard. San Pancrazio (Pancras) is the town's patron saint.

Here's similar view of Strada san Pancrazio from Wikipedia.

Giovanni Crupi [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

This postcard was mailed from Taormina, according to the postmark, and I believe the year was 1906. There's an "06" in the center of the postmark, and this postcard does not have a divided back. (Though divided back postcards were introduced in Europe prior to 1906, I'm sure there was plenty of back inventory that still existed.)

It was mailed to a woman living at 925 West End Avenue in New York City and the full message is on the front of the card:
"The most heavenly spot yet. The coloring is just as brilliant and beautiful as this. A.W.B."

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