{"id":5761,"date":"2024-11-01T13:37:43","date_gmt":"2024-11-01T13:37:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.caminiatravel.com\/caminiatravel\/historical-calabria\/"},"modified":"2025-03-19T14:58:50","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T14:58:50","slug":"historical-calabria","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.caminiatravel.com\/caminiatravel\/discover-calabria\/historical-calabria\/?lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Historical Calabria"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Between peoples and cultures<\/h3><\/div>
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Journey through historic Calabria<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

They speak an ancient language, the stones of Calabria, worked by people capable of building works of great allure. These silent testimonies tell the story of this region.<\/p>\n

They speak of the civilizations that have followed one another and mingled over the centuries, founding cities and customs. Of past dominations. Of eras of abandonment and reconstruction.<\/p>\n

Thanks to its location, this land has been a crossroads of diverse civilisations. All peoples have left an imprint of their passage here. Today we walk among the remains of ancient cities. We admire the impressive Roman ruins. We walk through the narrow streets of small medieval villages that resist the corrosion of the centuries. The secrets of ancient peoples, their historical treasures, are all there, in the buildings, in the vestiges and in all the works they have left us, which have become symbols of Calabria.<\/p>\n

In the depths of time, when myths were intertwined with reality, the first inhabitants left their indelible footprints on this land of contrasts. The Enotri, a mysterious and fascinating people, were among the first to shape the Calabrian landscape.<\/p>\n

Their name, meaning \u2018vine growers\u2019, conjures up images of verdant hills dotted with vineyards, a heritage that still enriches the region today. Traces of these ancient inhabitants persist in the archaeological finds and wine-making techniques handed down through the millennia. Thanks to this, only a sip of Calabrian wine is enough to savour the past.<\/p>\n

With the arrival of the Greeks, Calabria became a melting pot of culture and civilisation. Magna Graecia flourished on these shores, giving birth to legendary cities such as Kroton, Sybaris and Locri. Here, among the Doric columns and finely worked mosaics, philosophers and mathematicians were born whose thought would shape the western world.<\/p>\n

Walking through the ruins of Caulonia or admiring the Riace Bronzes, masterpieces of timeless beauty, the visitor can almost hear the echo of the philosophical discussions and artistic fervour that animated these ancient polis*<\/em> (Greek speaking settlements).<\/p>\n

The Greek heritage survives not only in the stones, but also in the language: Grecanico, still spoken in some enclaves, is a sound bridge connecting the present to the glorious past.<\/p>\n

The Bruzi emerge between the folds of this millenary history, a proud and warlike people who were able to carve out their own space in the ancient Calabrian landscape. According to legend, they were descended from rebellious slaves who challenged the domination of the Greek colonies, founding an independent kingdom in the heart of Calabria.<\/p>\n

The name of this civilisation, which according to some means \u2018rebels\u2019 (and according to others derives from Brettia, the first western female warrior), evokes the indomitable spirit that still characterises this land today. Traces of its presence survive in the names of some localities and in archaeological sites like Cosenza, its ancient capital.<\/p>\n

The Bruzi enriched the Calabrian cultural mosaic with their warrior traditions and skills in the art of metallurgy, leaving a legacy of pride and independence that still resonates in the character of modern-day Calabrians.<\/p>\n<\/div>

They speak an ancient language, the stones of Calabria, worked by people capable of building works of great allure. These silent testimonies tell the story of this region.<\/p>\n

They speak of the civilizations that have followed one another and mingled over the centuries, founding cities and customs. Of past dominations. Of eras of abandonment and reconstruction.<\/p>\n

Thanks to its location, this land has been a crossroads of diverse civilisations. All peoples have left an imprint of their passage here. Today we walk among the remains of ancient cities. We admire the impressive Roman ruins. We walk through the narrow streets of small medieval villages that resist the corrosion of the centuries. The secrets of ancient peoples, their historical treasures, are all there, in the buildings, in the vestiges and in all the works they have left us, which have become symbols of Calabria.<\/p>\n

In the depths of time, when myths were intertwined with reality, the first inhabitants left their indelible footprints on this land of contrasts. The Enotri, a mysterious and fascinating people, were among the first to shape the Calabrian landscape.<\/p>\n

Their name, meaning \u2018vine growers\u2019, conjures up images of verdant hills dotted with vineyards, a heritage that still enriches the region today. Traces of these ancient inhabitants persist in the archaeological finds and wine-making techniques handed down through the millennia. Thanks to this, only a sip of Calabrian wine is enough to savour the past.<\/p>\n

With the arrival of the Greeks, Calabria became a melting pot of culture and civilisation. Magna Graecia flourished on these shores, giving birth to legendary cities such as Kroton, Sybaris and Locri. Here, among the Doric columns and finely worked mosaics, philosophers and mathematicians were born whose thought would shape the western world.<\/p>\n

Walking through the ruins of Caulonia or admiring the Riace Bronzes, masterpieces of timeless beauty, the visitor can almost hear the echo of the philosophical discussions and artistic fervour that animated these ancient polis<\/em> (Greek speaking settlements)*.<\/p>\n

The Greek heritage survives not only in the stones, but also in the language: Grecanico, still spoken in some enclaves, is a sound bridge connecting the present to the glorious past.<\/p>\n

The Bruzi emerge between the folds of this millenary history, a proud and warlike people who were able to carve out their own space in the ancient Calabrian landscape. According to legend, they were descended from rebellious slaves who challenged the domination of the Greek colonies, founding an independent kingdom in the heart of Calabria.<\/p>\n

The name of this civilisation, which according to some means \u2018rebels\u2019 (and according to others derives from Brettia, the first western female warrior), evokes the indomitable spirit that still characterises this land today. Traces of its presence survive in the names of some localities and in archaeological sites like Cosenza, its ancient capital.<\/p>\n

The Bruzi enriched the Calabrian cultural mosaic with their warrior traditions and skills in the art of metallurgy, leaving a legacy of pride and independence that still resonates in the character of modern-day Calabrians.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Richiedi un preventivo per il tuo prossimo soggiorno in Calabria!<\/h4><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Richiedi un preventivo<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

Then it was the turn of the Roman Empire, which left its indelible mark on Calabria, transforming the landscape with roads, aqueducts and sumptuous villas. The ruins of Vibo Valentia, the ancient Hipponion, tell of a region fully integrated into the vast dominion of Rome. The remains of the Via Popilia, which traversed Calabria from north to south, are tangible evidence of Roman engineering genius and the strategic importance of this land.<\/p>\n

Today, as you walk on the ancient cobblestones or explore the remains of thermal baths and amphitheatres, you can immerse yourself in a epoch when Calabria was a vital crossroads of the Empire, a place where goods and ideas flowed freely from one end of the Mediterranean to the other.<\/p>\n

With the decline of Rome, Calabria became a land of conquest for peoples from all directions. The Byzantines brought with them the mystical charm of the East, enriching the region with churches and monasteries of exotic allure. Their gilded icons and glittering mosaics still capture the gaze of outsiders, transporting them to a world of spirituality and transcendent beauty.The Greek-Byzantine rite, practised in some Calabrian communities, is a living treasure of this heritage, a unique experience that blends the sacred and the profane in a fascinating synthesis.<\/p>\n

The arrival of the Arabs (early Middle Ages) and the Normans (late Middle Ages) added new nuances to the Calabrian cultural kaleidoscope. While the former left their mark on architecture and agricultural techniques, the latter erected imposing castles that still dominate the landscape today. Scilla's Ruffo Castle, clinging to a rock overhanging the sea, is a breathtaking example of this legacy, a bulwark that defies time and offers dreamlike panoramas and stories of knights and princesses.<\/p>\n

The Renaissance and Baroque eras saw Calabria prosper again, enriched by palaces and churches that still today amaze with their beauty and elegance. The ornate fa\u00e7ades and sumptuous interiors tell of an era of splendour and refinement, inviting visitors to lose themselves in the details of an art that knew how to fuse the sacred and the profane in a single, harmonious vision.<\/p>\n

Successive dominations, from the Spanish to the Bourbons, each left their mark, further enriching the cultural fabric of the region. Traditions, customs and flavours merged into a unique mosaic, creating what we know today as the Calabrian identity: proud, passionate and incredibly nuanced.<\/p>\n

To condense Calabria's glorious past into a few lines is an arduous task. But these few examples can give an idea of the legacies that make this region a unique mosaic of historical heritages. Fascinating witness to countless dominations, yet capable of preserving a strong and indomitable identity. With its complexity and stratification, Calabria offers historical itineraries rich with nuances. Visiting it means encountering a heritage shaped by centuries of encounters, through the varied physiognomy of a territory that is a bottomless treasure chest of incredible discoveries.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Then it was the turn of the Roman Empire, which left its indelible mark on Calabria, transforming the landscape with roads, aqueducts and sumptuous villas. The ruins of Vibo Valentia, the ancient Hipponion, tell of a region fully integrated into the vast dominion of Rome. The remains of the Via Popilia, which traversed Calabria from north to south, are tangible evidence of Roman engineering genius and the strategic importance of this land.<\/p>\n

Today, as you walk on the ancient cobblestones or explore the remains of thermal baths and amphitheatres, you can immerse yourself in a epoch when Calabria was a vital crossroads of the Empire, a place where goods and ideas flowed freely from one end of the Mediterranean to the other.<\/p>\n

With the decline of Rome, Calabria became a land of conquest for peoples from all directions. The Byzantines brought with them the mystical charm of the East, enriching the region with churches and monasteries of exotic allure. Their gilded icons and glittering mosaics still capture the gaze of outsiders, transporting them to a world of spirituality and transcendent beauty.The Greek-Byzantine rite, practised in some Calabrian communities, is a living treasure of this heritage, a unique experience that blends the sacred and the profane in a fascinating synthesis.<\/p>\n

The arrival of the Arabs (early Middle Ages) and the Normans (late Middle Ages) added new nuances to the Calabrian cultural kaleidoscope. While the former left their mark on architecture and agricultural techniques, the latter erected imposing castles that still dominate the landscape today. Scilla's Ruffo Castle, clinging to a rock overhanging the sea, is a breathtaking example of this legacy, a bulwark that defies time and offers dreamlike panoramas and stories of knights and princesses.<\/p>\n

The Renaissance and Baroque eras saw Calabria prosper again, enriched by palaces and churches that still today amaze with their beauty and elegance. The ornate fa\u00e7ades and sumptuous interiors tell of an era of splendour and refinement, inviting visitors to lose themselves in the details of an art that knew how to fuse the sacred and the profane in a single, harmonious vision.<\/p>\n

Successive dominations, from the Spanish to the Bourbons, each left their mark, further enriching the cultural fabric of the region. Traditions, customs and flavours merged into a unique mosaic, creating what we know today as the Calabrian identity: proud, passionate and incredibly nuanced.<\/p>\n

To condense Calabria's glorious past into a few lines is an arduous task. But these few examples can give an idea of the legacies that make this region a unique mosaic of historical heritages. Fascinating witness to countless dominations, yet capable of preserving a strong and indomitable identity. With its complexity and stratification, Calabria offers historical itineraries rich with nuances. Visiting it means encountering a heritage shaped by centuries of encounters, through the varied physiognomy of a territory that is a bottomless treasure chest of incredible discoveries.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Gallery<\/h4><\/div>