Cliffside dwellings in
Tropea.
'Calabria' (
Latin: 'Bruttium' or 'Brutium'), is a
region in
southern Italy located at the "toe" of the Italian peninsula south of
Naples. It is bounded to the north by the region of
Basilicata, to the south-west by the Region of
Sicily, to the west by the
Tyrrhenian Sea, and to the east by the
Ionian Sea. The region covers 15,080
km² and has a population of 2 million. The regional capital is
Catanzaro.
Geography
Calabria is a narrow peninsula extending into the heart of the
Mediterranean for three hundred kilometres. It is located at the tip of the "boot" between the
Tyrrhenian Sea to the west and the
Ionian Sea and
Gulf of Taranto to the east. It is separated from
Sicily by the
Strait of Messina, where the narrowest point between Capo Peloro in Sicily and Punta Pezzo in Calabria is only 3.2 km.
Although the sea seems ever present in Calabria, it is mainly a mountainous region. Three mountain ranges are present: Pollino, the Sila, and Aspromonte. All three mountain ranges are unique with their own flora and fauna.
The
Pollino Mountains in the north of the region are rugged and form a natural barrier separating Calabria from the rest of Italy. Parts of the area are heavily wooded, while others are vast, wind-swept plateaus with little vegetation. These mountains are home to a rare
Bosnian Pine variety, and are included in the
Pollino National Park.
The
Sila is a vast plateau, about 1,200 metres above sea level, which stretches for nearly 2,000 square kilometres along the central part of Calabria. The highest point is
Botte Donato, which reaches 1,928 metres. The area boasts numerous lakes and dense coniferous forests.
The
Aspromonte massif forms the southernmost tip of the Italian peninsula bordered by the sea on three sides. This unique mountainous structure reaches its highest point at
Montalto, at 1,995 metres, and is full of wide, man-made terraces that slope down towards the sea.
In general, most of the lower terrain in Calabria has been agricultural for centuries, and exhibits indigenous scrubland as well as introduced plants such as the
prickly pear cactus (it: ''Fico d'India''). The lowest slopes are rich in vineyards and citrus fruit orchards. Moving upwards, olives and chestnut trees appear while in the higher regions there are often dense forests of oak, pine, beech and fir trees.
Calabria is a land of contrasts, in many respects, with below zero temperatures in the mountains in winter and temperatures sometimes over 40°C in the summer along low valley areas. The climate is typically
Mediterranean (
Köppen climate classification CSa), except at the highest elevations (DSa, DSb) and the more arid eastern stretches along the Ionian Sea.
Calabria is divided into five provinces:
Provinces of Calabria.
★
Catanzaro
★
Cosenza
★
Crotone
★
Reggio Calabria
★
Vibo Valentia
History
Calabria was first settled by Italic
Oscan-speaking tribes. Two of these tribes included the
Oenotri (roughly translated into the "vine-cultivators") and the Itali. Greek contact with the latter resulted in the entire peninsula (modern Italy) taking the name of the tribe.
Greeks settled heavily along the coast at an early date and several of their settlements, including the first Italian city called ''Rhegion'' (
Reggio Calabria), and the next ones
Sybaris, ''Kroton'' (
Crotone), and
Locri, were numbered among the leading cities of
Magna Graecia during the
6th and
5th centuries BC. Conquered by the Romans in the
3rd century BC, the region never regained its former prosperity.
The Greeks were conquered by the 3rd century BC by roving Oscan tribes from the north, including a branch of the
Samnites called the
Lucanians and an offshoot of the Lucanians called the
Bruttii. The Bruttii established the main cities of Calabria, including the modern capital,
Cosenza (then called Consentia).
After the fall of the Roman Empire the inhabitants were in large part driven inland by the spread of malaria and, from the early Middle Ages until the XVII century, by pirate raids. Calabria was devastated during the
Gothic War before it came under the rule of a local ''dux'' for the
Byzantine Empire. In the 9th and 10th centuries, Calabria, which had been the rich breadbasket of Rome before Egypt was conquered, was the borderland between Byzantine rule and the Arab emirs in
Sicily, subject to raids and skirmishes, depopulated and demoralized, with vibrant Greek monasteries providing fortresses of culture. In the 1060s,
Normans under the leadership of
Robert Guiscard's brother Roger established a presence in this
borderland, and organized a government along Byzantine lines that was run by the local Greek magnates of Calabria. In 1098, Pope
Urban II named Roger the equivalence of an apostolic legate. The Hauteville clan later formed the precursors of the
Kingdom of Naples which ruled Calabria until the unification of
Italy. This kingdom itself came under many rulers: the
Habsburg dynasties of both
Spain and
Austria; the Franco-Spanish
Bourbon dynasty,
Napoleon's brother
Joseph Bonaparte, and then French Marshal
Joachim Murat, who was executed in the small town of
Pizzo.
Throughout all this Calabria remained a very rural and isolated region. It experienced a series of peasant revolts as part of the European
Revolutions of 1848. This set the stage for the eventual unification with the rest of Italy in
1861, when the
Kingdom of Naples was brought into the union by
Giuseppe Garibaldi. The
Aspromonte was the scene of a famous battle of the
Risorgimento (unification of Italy), in which Garibaldi was wounded.
The
'Ndrangheta organized crime families of Calabria began to appear in 1860; they now rival in power the better known
Cosa Nostra of nearby
Sicily, though they operate completely independently from the Sicilians and are especially active in the
cocaine trade.
Until recently, the
Mezzogiorno (southern Italy) was among the poorest regions of
Europe and impoverished Calabria was a main source for the
Italian diaspora of the early 20th Century. Many Calabrians moved to the industrial centres of
northern Italy, the rest of Europe,
Australia and the
Americas (especially
Argentina,
Brazil,
Canada, and the
United States). Today, there is increased affluence and a much improved economy based on modern agriculture, tourism, and a growing commercial base. Even though the per capita income is still well below that of
northern Italy and
central Italy, it has improved to the point where it is approaching the
European Union median.
[1]
Demographics
Towns of Calabria with a population of 50,000 or more:
The following table indicates the population by province:
Resident population as of 1 January 2005, source Istat
Language
Main articles: Calabrian languages
Although the official national language of Calabria has been Standard
Italian since unification (1861), as a consequence of its deep and colourful history, Calabrian dialects have developed that have been spoken in the region for centuries. The various
dialects are divided into two different language groups. In the northern one-third of the region, the Calabrian dialects are considered a dialect of the
Neapolitan language called 'Northern Calabrian'. In the southern two-thirds of the region, the Calabrian dialects are considered part of the
Sicilian language and are grouped as 'Southern Calabro'.
Other historical languages have left an imprint on the region. In isolated pockets, as well as some quarters of Reggio Calabria (historical stronghold of the Greek language in Italy), a hybrid language that dates back to the 9th century, called
Griko, is spoken. A variety of
Franco-Provençal can also be found in certain communities and
French has had an influence on many Calabrian words and phrases. In several villages, the
Arbëresh dialect of the
Albanian language has been spoken since a wave of refugees settled there in the 15th century. In addition, since Calabria (as well as other parts of
southern Italy and
Sicily) were once ruled by the Spanish, some Calabrian dialects clearly exhibit
Spanish influences.
Famous Calabrians
Transportation
Airports
★
Aeroporto di Lamezia Terme-Sant'Eufemia (Airport
IATA code: SUF)
★
Aeroporto dello Stretto (
Reggio Calabria, Airport
IATA code: REG)
★
Aeroporto di Crotone-Sant'Anna (Airport
IATA code: CRV)
Seaports
★
Corigliano Calabro (Porto di Schiavonea)
★
Crotone
★
Gioia Tauro (
RC), the second busiest in the
Mediterranean sea
★
Reggio Calabria
★
Vibo Valentia
★
Villa San Giovanni (
RC)
Tourism sites
Byzantine church in
Stilo.
The main tourist draws in Calabria are the coastline and the mountains. The coastline alternates between rugged cliffs and sandy beaches, and is sparsely interrupted by development when compared to other European seaside destinations. The sea around Calabria is clear, and there is a good level of tourist accommodation. The poet
Gabriele D'Annunzio called the coast facing Sicily near Reggio Calabria "...the most beautiful kilometer in Italy" (''il più bel chilometro d'Italia''). The primary mountain tourist draws are
Aspromonte and La
Sila, with its national park and lakes. Some other prominent destinations include:
★
Reggio Calabria, on the strait between the mainland and
Sicily, the largest and oldest city in Calabria, renowned for its fabulous panoramic seaside with botanical gardens between the
art nouveau buildings and the beautiful beaches, and its 3,000 years of history with the old Aragonian Castle and the great National Museum of
Magna Grecia where the famous
Riace Warriors (Bronzi di Riace) are located.
★
Sibari, on the Ionian sea, is a village situated near the excavation of ancient ''Sybaris'', a Greek colony of the VII century B.C.
★
Scilla, on the
Tyrrhenian Sea, "pearl" of the "Violet Coast", has delightful panorama, important religious traditions, and is the site of some of
Homer's tales.
★
Tropea, on the
Tyrrhenian Sea coast, is a beautiful town, with a drammatic seaside beach, and the Santa Maria dell'Isola sanctuary. It is also renowned for its sweet red
onions (mainly produced in
Ricadi).
★
Capo Vaticano on the
Tyrrhenian Sea, is a very famous wide bathing place near Tropea.
★
Siderno on the
Ionian Sea coast.
★
Gerace, near
Locri, is a beautiful medieval city with a Norman castle and an ancient cathedral.
★
Squillace, a seaside resort and important archeological site
★
Stilo, the home of
Tommaso Campanella, with its Norman castle and beautiful
Byzantine church, the ''Cattolica''.
★
Cosenza, seat of the
Cosentian Academy, is renown for its cultural institutions, the old quarter,
Romanesque Cathedral and a
Swabian Castle.
★
Pizzo, on the
Tyrrhenian Sea coast, known for its ice cream called "Tartufo". Interesting places in Pizzo are Piazza Repubblica and the Aragonian castle where
Murat was murdered.
★
Soverato on the
Ionian Sea, Also known as the "Pearl" of the Ionian Sea. Especially renown for its beaches, boardwalk and nightlife.
★
Nicotera on the
Tyrrhenian Sea, is a beautiful little medieval Town with an ancient Ruffo's castle .
Universities
★
University of Calabria (Università della Calabria), located in
Rende,
Cosenza;
★
Università degli Studi Magna Grecia di Catanzaro, located in
Catanzaro;
★
Università degli Studi Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria, located in
Reggio Calabria;
★
Università per stranieri Dante Alighieri di Reggio Calabria, located in
Reggio Calabria;
★
Accademia di Belle Arti di Catanzaro, located in
Catanzaro;
★
Accademia di Belle Arti di Reggio Calabria, located in
Reggio Calabria;
★
Conservatorio Francesco Cilea, located in
Reggio Calabria.
Calabrian cuisine
Essentially a typical southern Italian,
Mediterranean cuisine with a balance between meat-based dishes (pork, lamb, goat), vegetables (especially
eggplant), and fish. In contrast to most other Italian regions, Calabrians have traditionally placed an emphasis on the preservation of their food, in part because of the climate and potential crop failures. As a result, there is a tradition of packing vegetables and meats in
olive oil, making sausages and cold cuts (
Sopressata, '
Nduja), and, along the coast, curing fish- especially
swordfish, sardines (''sardelle rosamarina'') and cod (
Baccalà). Local desserts are typically fried, honey-sweetened pastries (''Cudduraci'', ''scalille'' or ''scalidde'') or baked
biscotti-type treats (such as 'nzudda'').
Some local specialties include
Caciocavallo Cheese, Red onion (see
Cipolla Rossa of Tropea), ''Frìttuli'' or ''Curcùci'' (fried pork),
Liquorice (''liquirizia''), ''Lagane e Cicciari (ceci)'' (a pasta dish with
chickpeas),
Pecorino Crotonese (Cheese of Sheep), and
Pignolata.
Main football teams
★
Reggina from
Reggio di Calabria, playing in ''
Serie A''.
★
Crotone, which plays in ''
Serie C1''.
★
Catanzaro, which plays in ''
Serie C2''.
★
U.S. Vibonese Calcio, which plays in ''
Serie C2''.
★
Vigor Lamezia, which plays in ''
Serie C2''.
★
Fortitudo Cosenza, which plays in ''
Serie D''.
References
1. Eurostat 2006
External links
★
Official Region homepage
★
Official Region tourist information
★
Web Portal of Calabria in the World
★
KALìt Calabria in testa!
★
Travel Itineraries: The territory of the Memory
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