REGIONS OF ITALY
ITALY’S TWENTY REGIONAL CAPITALS
Catanzaro
The City of Three V's Catanzaro, the capital of the Calabria region, is located on the southern coast of Italy, overlooking the Ionian Sea and the Gulf of Squillace. It is less than 20 miles from the Tyrrhenian Sea on the west coast, thus giving Catanzaro the nickname “The City of Two Seas.” The city, which was founded in the 9th century by the Byzantine empire, sits on three hilltops that are separated by the Fiumarella Valley. In 1960, these hilltops were connected by the Fausto Bisantis Bridge, a concrete bridge that stands 1,536 feet long and 360 feet high, making it one of the highest bridges in Europe. The bridge incorporates an arch (Viaduct Morandi-Bisantis) that stretches 758 feet long, making the bridge the second largest concrete arch bridge in the world and the second largest arch in Europe. FUN FACT: Catanzaro did not become the capital of the Calabria region until 1970, when it took over the role from Reggio Calabria, which is the largest city in Calabria. Because of its high altitude, Catanzaro experiences windy (ventoso) conditions coming in from the Ionian Sea and La Sila Mountains. This contributes to one of the V’s that gives Catanzaro the nickname “The City of Three V’s.” Another V stands for its patron saint—Saint Vitalian—who lived in the 7th century. The remaining V stands for velvet, representing the significant role the city has played in the silk industry. During the Byzantine era, the city
Catanzaro Region Capital: began playing Calabria an important Province: role in proCatanzaro cessing silk Population: and became 91,028 known as the U.S. Sister Cities: lace capital None of the world. The city even supplied all of the laces and linens for the Vatican and is still famous for its silks, velvets, damasks, and brocades. The city’s silk industry was known by the symbol “VVV” in order to identify it both domestically and internationally. The main center of the city is Piazza Grimaldi. As with many Italian cities, the square boasts much activity and is surrounded by historic buildings with alleyways lined with small shops. One of the most notable sites in the region is the Basilica dell’Immacolata, a Baroque-style church. Also notable are the ruins of the Norman Castle as well as a 16th-century duomo that had been built on top of the Norman Cathedral. Both structures were destroyed by two earthquakes (in 1783 and 1832) and World War II bombing. Nevertheless, the sites remain attractions to this day. Of course, one of the greatest attractions are Catanzaro’s beaches along the southern coast. It is there that one can soak up a full day of sun before returning to the town square to enjoy the cool evening breeze.
The Fausto Bisantis Bridge. (mRGB) SUMMER 2021
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ITALIAN AMERICA
