![]() ![]() The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is the most cherished building of worship for the people of Catanzaro. Inside you can admire the painting of Madonna of the Angels with Child of the school of Messina a bust of the city's patron saint, Saint Vitaliano, displayed in the chapel dedicated to him and, in the apse, an 18th-century painting of the Assumption. The current structure features three stunning bronze doors on the main facade and three on the side facade overlooking Piazza Duomo, while on the right you can see the 42-metre-tall bell tower which is crowned by the bronze statue of the Assumption. ![]() His relics are now housed there together with those of Saint Fortunatus and Saint Ireneus, patron saints of the city during the Byzantine era. The first cathedral, on which the current cathedral stands, was built in 1121 in Norman times and was dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta and the Apostles Peter and Paul. In 1309, the chapel dedicated to the patron saint, Vitaliano, was built near the entrance to the Porta dell’olmo. The Duomo, the city's main church, was built in the 12th century and subsequently rebuilt on numerous occasions. ![]() The Provincial Museum, located in the Villa Comunale, houses a collection of prehistoric artefacts and ancient coins. Furthermore, the Belvedere is a perfect vantage point from which you can take in the views of the Fiumarella valley and the Gulf of Squillace. Villa Trieste is surrounded by beautiful gardens with rare plants and marble busts of world famous Calabrians. The Norman Tower, with its square and crenellated shape, is all that remains of the ancient Norman castle. The historic centre has some important historical monuments, including the Duomo, where you can admire the Madonna and Child, a 16th-century statue by Antonello Gagini da Messina. The city is equipped with prestigious and modern cultural facilities, such as the new Politeama Theatre, designed by Paolo Portoghesi the museum area of the monumental complex of San Giovanni, which hosts important exhibitions the open-air "Magna Grecia” Arena and the Auditorium "Casalinuovo". Since 1982 it has been the site of the Magna Graecia State University, whose main courses of study include medicine, pharmacy, and law, as well as numerous innovative degree programmes. Saint Vitaliano is the patron saint of the city and his relics were sent to Catanzaro as a sign of appreciation for the welcome given by the city to Pope Callixtus II.Ĭatanzaro is a major business, commercial and cultural centre for the whole of Calabria, and is home to many important administrative offices, including the headquarters of the Regional Government. However, the invention of Jacquard looms meant that from 1800 the craft started becoming industrialised, thus devaluing its artisanal quality. In Catanzaro, the thriving silkworm industry developed the artisanal silk and fabric trade to such an extent that the city gained an international reputation for the quality of its silk. Velvet, together with damasks and silks, brought prestige and wealth to the city. Catanzaro is cooled down by the constant strong breezes from the Ionian, Tyrrhenian, and Silan regions, which generate persistent gusts of powerful wind. In Italy, Catanzaro is often referred to as the Città delle tre V (City of the Three Vs), in reference to three of its historical distinguishing features, namely vento (wind), velluto (velvet), and Vitaliano, the Patron Saint. The name Katantzárion may, in fact, be related to the Greek verb "katartizen", meaning "to prepare” or "to make" with reference to the silk industry. This is because of its location on the Isthmus of Catanzaro, Italy’s narrowest point, which separates the Ionian and Tyrrhenian coasts and is just 35 kilometres long. In fact, legend has it that Magna Graecia, located just a few hundred metres from the seafaring district of Catanzaro, was founded by Ulysses thanks to the area’s unique characteristics which made it an almost obligatory passing point between East and West.Ĭatanzaro, the capital of Calabria and of the ancient province of Calabria Ultra, is often referred to as the City between two seas. The city has ancient origins and according to some theories it was founded by the ancient Greek colony that later became Scolacium. ![]()
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