Located in the far south of the Italian peninsula, the Calabria it is the wonderful land that forms the “tip” of our boot: the region, in fact, stretches out like an imposing catwalk between Sea Tyrrhenianto the west, and the Sea Ionianto the east and southeast.
Exploring Calabria means immersing yourself in a wild and rugged land with an essence strongly Mediterraneanbut it also means breathing in a place rich in history and of ancient cultures. Calabria collects the legacy of the Magna Greecethat is, of that group of territories in Southern Italy colonized by Greek civilization and became important reference centers for the culture and trade of the Mediterranean.
The history and territory of this region are therefore deeply rooted in the identity of its inhabitants and form an absolutely unique mix of culture, landscape and traditions.
1. The origin of the name Calabria
During the’Roman imperial age“Calabria” was the name given to one of the eleven Augustan regions into which the territory of our peninsula was divided: Regio II Apulia and Calabria. In reality, however, this name was associated, roughly, with the territory of present-day Puglia, while the territory of present-day Calabria corresponded to another Augustan region: Regio III Lucania and Bruttii. When the territory of the two regions was unified under the Byzantine Empire, the name Calabria was also extended to the southernmost territories of the peninsula.
As always, the origin of the name is rather uncertain, but the most accredited theories associate it with the characteristics of the territory: in a first hypothesis, the term CalabriansOf origin pre-Romancould in fact refer to the rocky and rugged characteristics of the territory. A second hypothesis instead considers theGreek origin of the term, which would derive from kalón-bryón (i.e. land that gives rise to good/beauty), in reference to the fertility of the soil.
2. The coat of arms of the Calabria region
The coat of arms of the Calabria Region (in the center of the flag below) contains within itself four symbols representing the regional identity. It is configured as a oval divided into four quadrants alternate (two gold and two silver), each with a different logo. Starting from the top we find a green colored laricio pinea very common tree on the Sila plateau and which in this case represents the natural wonders of the region. Proceeding clockwise we then find a black enhanced crossin reference to the participation of the Calabrians in the first crusade (1096-1099); a blue Doric capitalwhich symbolizes the classical and cultural heritage of the Greeks and Magna Graecia; and finally a black Byzantine crosswhich recalls the historical belonging to the Byzantine Empire.
3. The numbers of the region
Calabria is the southernmost region of the Italian peninsula and features a predominantly territory mountainous And hilly surrounded on three sides by seas Tyrrhenian (west) and Ionian (east and south). In fact, it directly borders only one region to the north: the Basilicata.
The population of Calabria, equal to 1,838,150 inhabitantsis distributed over a surface of 15,212.65 km2. The result is a density of 121 inhabitants per square kilometer: a density lower, although not by much, than the Italian average of 195 inhabitants per square kilometer. The number of municipalities is very high: the region in fact includes 404 and is ranked fifth in the Italian ranking, after Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto and Campania. All regions are decidedly larger than Calabria.
4. The Calabrian ‘nduja
Some of our country’s most renowned products come from Calabria: citrus fruits, chili Peppers, licorice, onions Tropea reds…and of course the famous ‘nduja.
‘Nduja is a meat-based cured meat swineseasoned with salt and chiliwith a very soft consistency, so much so that it can be spread on bread as if it were a cream.
The origin of this product is attributed to the city of Spilinga (Vibo Valentia), but the name seems to have its origins in the French word andouille (which refers to various meat-based preparations), which arrived in Southern Italy during the period of Angevin domination. ‘Nduja is eaten with cheese, used to prepare sauces and condiments, as an ingredient on pizza, used to make fillings or simply spread on a slice of bread.
5. Bergamot
Another specialty of the Calabria region is the bergamota citrus which produces rounded fruits similar to lemons or mandarins of yellow and green color which are used for their exceptional aromatic yieldin cooking or to produce essential oils.
Calabria is one of the world’s leading producers of bergamotwith crops located in the southern part of the region, on the Ionian coastal strip, in the metropolitan city of Reggio Calabria.
From the cultivation of three varieties of bergamot (sissy, chestnut tree And Fantastic) precious essential oils are obtained which are used in the production of perfumes And cosmetics product but also in the culinary field to flavour dishes, desserts and infusions.
6. The Greek-Calabrian or Grecanic dialect
The dialect Greek-Calabrianalso called Greekis a very particular dialect spoken within the metropolitan city of Reggio Calabria. The origin of this dialect is not entirely certain: according to some studies it dates back to the time of the Magna Greecetherefore to the period in which the ancient Greeks colonized Southern Italy. According to other experts, the origin is to be found in the migrations occurred in the medieval period, while, for others still, it is the combination of the two events.
In more recent times, between generational changes and the phenomenon of emigration, the Grecanic language is spoken by fewer and fewer people, estimated today at a number between between 500 to 2000 individuals. L’UNESCOwhich is also committed to the conservation of intangible heritage, considers Grecanic a language at risk of extinction and, despite the fact that several initiatives have been launched to protect the language, Grecanic risks being completely abandoned in the next few decades.
7. Pollino National Park: the largest protected area in Italy
In the north of the Calabria region, astride the Lucanian border, is the Pollino National Park: a protected natural area established by the State to protect the environmental balance in the area surrounding themountain massif of the same name.
With an extension of 192,565 hectaresequal to 1925.65 km2the Pollino Park is the largest protected natural area in Italy. In these harsh and wonderful mountain environments grow the resistant pines loricatiwidespread in a few areas of south-eastern Europe and today become the symbol of the entire protected area. Among other things, the Pollino National Park includes some of the “ancient primeval beech forests of Europe”, included in the list of World Heritage Sites, and is part of the list of World Geoparksalso drawn up by UNESCO, as an area of exceptional relevance for the study of Earth sciences.
8. The Varia of Palmi
There Variation of Palms it is a popular festival that takes place in the town of the same name on the last Sunday of August (every year), and is celebrated in honour of Most Holy Mary of the Sacred Letterpatron saint and protector of the city.
The Varia is actually a sacred chariot of truly remarkable dimensions and up to 100 cm tall 16 meters which represents theAssumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven: sitting on a seat at the top of the imposing structure, you will find theSweetbreada young girl who impersonates the mother of Jesus Christ. In addition to her, there is space on the float for other figures representing the apostlesThe Eternal Father And little angelssitting on supports that rotate around the moving carriage thanks to a series of internal gears.
The wagon, weighing approximately 20 tonsis carried on shoulders through the streets of the center by 200 carriersknown in local dialect as mbuttaturi. The Varia di Palmi is on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as a category of Celebrations of the big shoulder machines.
9. The myth of Scylla
Obviously we cannot miss the myths and the legends that are lost in the mists of time: like other regions of Italy, Calabria also has many stories that today constitute the extremely rich heritage of traditions and folklore of our country. In particular, it is in Calabria that we find the origins of the famous Scylla sea monsterwhich, according to legend, sank ships passing through the Strait of Messina in the company of another monstrous creature from Greek mythology, Charybdis.
According to the myth, Scylla, a wonderful nymph lover of the sea, was cruelly transformed into a monster by the witch Circe. This one, in fact, is jealous of Scylla because of her unrequited love for Glaucus (another famous figure of Greek mythology) who was in love with the first, decided to take revenge by pouring a powerful poison. Diving into the water, Scylla transformed into a gigantic monster with serpent-shaped protuberances on the lower part of the torso and some dog heads in front. Devastated by horror, the nymph threw herself into the sea and found refuge near a rock, right in front of where the other mythological monster Charybdis dwelt.
10. The Riace Bronzes
The August 16, 1972near the coast of Porto Forticchio (Municipality of Riace), were found at a depth of 8 metres the statues of two ancient Greek warriors in perfect condition. The merit of the discovery and the actual dynamics of the finding are still a matter of controversy today, but what is certain is that the recovery of the statues was carried out with a certain lightness and without taking too much account of the importance of the two precious finds.
Over the decades, the two statues, called TO And B and high respectively 1.98 meters And 1.97 metershave been subjected to various restoration and debris removal interventions which, among other things, have led to a reduction in weight, from approximately 400 kg at the time of discovery to the current 160 kg.
The discovery of the two statues, known today as “the Riace bronzes” has sparked an intense debate aimed at reconstructing the history of the characters, the exact chronology and the reason why the statues ended up at the bottom of the sea. Since the sea in front of Riace is on the route that connected the Tyrrhenian coasts of central and southern Italy with Greece, it is likely that the statues, transported by ship, sank following a shipwreck, or were deliberately thrown overboard to lighten the vessel following some emergency. However, many questions regarding the two Riace bronzes remain unanswered to this day and probably never will.
