En Route
from Matera
Rocca
Imperiale
Crotone's
Castle
Siberi's
Archeological Park
An ancient
village crowning a hill, Rocca Imperiale was founded around the year 1000 and,
because of its proximity to the sea, fortified by Emperor Frederick II, the
Duke of Swabia
The Tavole
Palatine - Palatine Tables - in Metaponto (Calabria)
Policoro,
picturesque beach resort situated just 3 kilometres from the Ionian sea, just
down from Metaponto
Save for the
first golden rays of sunshine over the “Sassi,”
most of the ravine is still covered in darkness as we wave goodbye to the
marvels of Matera.
The route to
the other side of the ravine is long and abounds in caves and Rupestrian
churches carved out of the rock side. The churches are from different epochs,
the majority of which date back to the Late Medieval Period, and the most
interesting house Byzantine frescoes and sculptures. The churches stand as a
testament to the significant, centuries-old presence of Byzantine and
Benedictine monks who devoted their lives to prayer and contemplation in this
evocative, rock-and-shrub strewn wilderness overlooking the ravine. Each merits
an extensive visit to fully appreciate its rough beauty, but we can only make
so many stops en route to Calabria.
Our first is
to Cristo la Selva, a church with a Romanic
façade and square floor plan. Inside this enchanting space you’ll find frescoes
of Saints John and Joseph, and a magnificent, wrought iron candelabrum. Next up
is a group of grottoes occupying four different tiers linked by a network of
white stone stairs and tunnels. Amid this group is San Nicola all’Ofra, a
little church consisting of a single- nave chapel with a seashell niche and a
fresco depicting the Madonna and Child. As we climb down toward Montescaglioso,
we’ll make another stop at the Cripta della Scaletta. The view and setting here
are breathtaking. The leafy plants and shrubs add to the landscape’s splendor
and signal to us that we’re close to Murgia. The little rock-hewn temple has a
stone wall dividing the presbytery from an area reserved for worshippers.
Back on the
road, we make a windy descent toward Bradano. Here, the river coils through
rushes and vegetation, which, at the start of spring, is nearly bursting with
deep greens. In the distance, an eastern sun dapples the blue and turquoise
Ionian Sea. Prior to Metaponto, we’ll turn onto the Ionic highway that carries
us to Calabria, but not before we pay a visit to Policoro, where, in the 7th
century B.C, Heraclea was founded. One of the most vibrant of the Greek
colonies, it extended from the Gulf of Taranto along the entire Ionian
coastline of Calabria and on into Sicily, forming the area that would become
known as Magna Grecia. From the archaeological ruins, we can discern an
orthogonal urban plan, an acropolis where the Policoro Castle now stands, and
sanctuaries dedicated to Demeter and Dionysus. The precious, open-air
archaeological digs at the Siritide Museum provide proof of the wealth and
refinement of the area’s ancient inhabitants, thanks to the influence of the
Achaean civilization.
The journey
continues. A mix of salt air and eucalyptus drift up from the sea on our left.
On our right, the large lush plain, once marshland, is getting ready to produce
delicious fruit and vegetables bound for markets in Italy and half Europe. On
the horizon, the mountainous profile of Pollino, with its crags and narrow
gorges carved into its side by flowing water, slopes down toward the sea.
Entering
Calabria
We’ve
arrived in Calabria. Those looking to escape the crowds are in for a real
treat. In fact, we immediately come upon Rocca Imperiale, an ancient
village crowning a hill. The village was founded around the year 1000 and,
because of its proximity to the sea, fortified by Emperor Frederick II, the
Duke of Swabia. Magnificent views can be had from its uniform houses, which are
reached by a series of built-in steps that run all the way up the hill to the
Castle, a Frederick-era construction resembling Lagospele and Lucera. Magna Grecia’s
lushest strip of land often fell victim to the armies of Pyrrhus, Hannibal, the
Goths, and Spartacus’ gladiators when they revolted against Rome. Now this
countryside produces tasty lemons and other quality biological products.
We proceed
at a good clip, past rolling hills scored by gullies rising up to
forest-covered mountains. Below us, the green of the sea gives way to rows of
cacti, which in the summer turn yellow and red, and produce delicious fruit.
More villages dot the hills, more towns the marina. On one hill sits the
Swabian Castle of Amendolara. Further
on, Trebisacce anticipates the Sibari Plain. There’s Cassano al
Ionio, a scenic city with ancient roots that stretch back to the Neolithic
Period. Neolithic ceramics and utensils were found in the karstic caves of
Sant’Angelo. Here, in 720 B.C., the Achaeans founded Sibari. The colony
flourished for two centuries until being destroyed by armies led by the famous Greek
athlete Milo of Croton. Under the Romans, Cassano became Municipium. Then
came a series of conquests at the hands of the Lombards, Normans, Swabians,
Anjous, and Aragonese. In the decades spanning the year 1000, it was sacked
several times by the Saracens.
But let’s
return to ancient Sibari for a moment. The port of the Greco-Roman
city was the primary stopover in the West for merchants from Mileto selling
precious goods from Asia. Sibari was famous for the wealth of its land and the
refinement of its citizens. After its destruction at the hands of the Crotons
in 510 B.C., Pericles ordered that the Hellenic city Thurii be built over
Sibari’s ruins. Three centuries later, it became a Roman colony named Copia.
Today the ruins of Sibari’s ancient city are visible at a large site where
archaeologists discovered baths, a temple, a theater, and the remains of
Thurii. Invaluable relics are kept in the Sibaritide Archaeological
Museum.
History and
Beauty
We set off
once more on the arterial road that brushes up against the sea. The intense
offshore colors of the Ionian turn to pearl nearer the golden shore. The
water’s transparent. There’s a pleasant vibe. The small towns along the coast
are modestly built and un-invasive as we draw closer to the turnoff for Corigliano Calabro. That city sits prominently on
a hilltop. Its origins are probably Arabic, dating back two centuries before
the year 1000. After the Norman conquest led by Robert Guiscard, the year 1073
saw the construction of the castle and church of St. Peter. The rest of the
city developed around them. Corigliano was the fief of the Sangineto family,
then the Sanseverino family. You can visit its beautiful churches—St. Peter’s
Collegiate Church, the Carmelite Church of SS. Annunziata, the Church of San
Antonio, and the church of Santa Maria di Costantinopoli, which houses an
amazing 17th c. crucifix by Umile Pintorno. The mother church, Santa Maria
Maggiore, was built in the 10th century and contains remarkable engraved wooden
furniture and a 17th century painting attributed to Cesare Fracanzano. Also of
note are the churches of Santa Anna and San Francesco di Paolo. The Castello
Ducale is superb too.
Not 15 miles
on is Rossano Calabro, another magnificent city and home to a Diocesan
Museum containing the Rossano Gospels, recognized by UNESCO as one of the
oldest illuminated manuscripts in the world. This ancient city (c. 1100 B.C.)
became a colony of Magna Grecia and a Roman outpost when Emperor
Hadrian ordered the construction of a port that could hold 300 ships. For five
centuries, until 1050, the city thrived under the Byzantines both economically
and culturally, and it was able to ward off invasions from barbarians, Lombards,
and Saracens. Thanks to its treasure trove of Byzantine art, the city earned
the nickname “Ravenna of the South.” The delicate purplish parchment of the
Rossano Gospels contains 188 illuminated pages written in admirably miniature
Greek characters in gold and silver ink. It dates back 14 centuries. One of the
codex’s scenes (the resurrection of Lazarus) resembles one of Giotto’s frescoes
in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, as well as a fresco by Beato Angelico in
Florence’s San Marco convent. The codex is an extraordinarily beautiful work.
Behind Rossano, you can see the spur of Sila up above, a wide mountainous
plateau that, along with Pollino and Aspromonte, forms the Apennine spine of
Calabria.
From Rossano
we make our way toward Crotone. Halfway to Crotone is Cirò Marina, a
beautiful city on the ancient site of the colony of Krimisa. Nearby, around
Punta Alice, are the remains of a temple to Apollo. A popular beach resort
known for its pristine waters and quality service industry, Cirò also earned a
reputation for a wine of the same name made from Gaglioppo grapes, and a citrus
fruit known as “Calabrian clementines.” The other wines in the area are Il
Greco and Il Savuto. There are numerous monuments to visit in pretty Cirò
Marina.
Crotone and
its Vicinity
Another 25
miles and we arrive in Crotone, the capital city of the province that has
a population of 63,000 inhabitants. A former colony of Magna Graecia known as
Kroton, the city is famous for its wealth, Pythagoras, and the school of
metaphysics. The imposing castle, situated on a promontory over the ancient
acropolis, and the 16th century fortifications erected by the viceroy of Naples
Pedro da Toledo to defend again Turkish invasions, surround the mazelike old
city facing the massive port. (Crotone is, in fact, the largest industrial
center in Calabria.) The cathedral is definitely worth a visit, as are the
castle housing the civic museum, and the archaeological museum, which has
artifacts from Capo Colonna and the area around ancient Kroton. In
Capo Colonna you can tour the remains of the Hera Licinia sanctuary (the base
and column of a Doric temple are still standing). Grave goods, money,
terracotta votives and other artifacts are on display in the archaeological
museum. The coastal terrace from Capo Colonna to Capo Rizzuto is
stunning: steep and rugged cliffs, bursts of Mediterranean scrub, little white
sand beaches, and a sea that vaunts a variety of colors, from deep blue to
emerald green, and a stupendous seabed of flora and fauna. This tract of coast
has been declared a protected area by Capo Rizzuto and
preserves an important environmental legacy. There are several well-established
tourist facilities in the area. The coastal terrace runs all the way to Le
Castella, an islet with a small Aragonese castle that now functions as a
welcome center. Our journey ends (for now) in this enchanting place.
* Writer
and journalist Goffredo Palmerini continues his fascinating journey
through the beauty of Italy.
En Route from Matera
* Writer and journalist Goffredo Palmerini continues his fascinating journey through the beauty of Italy.
Rocca Imperiale
Crotone's Castle
Siberi's Archeological Park
An
ancient village crowning a hill, Rocca Imperiale was founded around the
year 1000 and, because of its proximity to the sea, fortified by
Emperor Frederick II, the Duke of Swabia
The Tavole Palatine - Palatine Tables - in Metaponto (Calabria)
The
Ionian coast of Calabria—those looking to escape the crowds are in for a
real treat. Less developed than the Tyrrhenian side of the region, this
coast offers plenty of archaeological sites, enchanting natural beauty,
and gorgeous food and wine.
En Route from Matera
Rocca Imperiale
Crotone's Castle
Siberi's Archeological Park
An
ancient village crowning a hill, Rocca Imperiale was founded around the
year 1000 and, because of its proximity to the sea, fortified by
Emperor Frederick II, the Duke of Swabia
The Tavole Palatine - Palatine Tables - in Metaponto (Calabria)
Policoro, picturesque beach resort situated just 3 kilometres from the Ionian sea, just down from Metaponto
