Next to the Cathedral stands the bell tower, which is 60 meters tall and is characterized by the animated astronomical clock. It depicts the civil and religious history of Messina. At noon, a 4-meter-high lion roars and moves the pole that holds the flag, while a 2-meter-high rooster flaps its wings and sings, symbolizing the awakening of consciousness. There are also two other statues, Dina and Clarenza, each measuring 3 meters, representing characters from the Sicilian Vespers who saved the city from the Angevin invasion by ringing the bells. Furthermore, there is a depiction of the Madonna of the sacred letter, featuring four biblical scenes from Christmas to Epiphany, from Epiphany to Easter, from Easter to Pentecost, and from Pentecost back to Christmas. Additionally, there are displays including the carousel of time, the days of the week, the perpetual calendar, the planetarium, and the moon.