Reggio Calabria

Reggio Calabria, main commercial centre and biggest city of Calabria, is set in a splendid position over the eastern coast of the Messina Strait, where the strait opens into the Ionian sea, and has a great mild climate during the whole year and is therefore a very touristic destination. Very ancient are its origins tha go back to the second half of the VII cent. B.C. and are linked to the origins of other calcidesi cities like Zancle, the actual Messina. Arstocratic and prosperous city went through wars and destructions during the Greek occupation in Italy till when, worried of Pyrrhus and Carthaginians, joined with the Romans that submitted them. Even then though it kept its greek language and it didn’t decay like other Southern cities. Destroyed by Alarico, went through the Byzantine, Turks,Norman, Aragonese, till the Bourbon occupation against to rose in 1847.It’s worth to visit the greek walls along the promenade, the Aragonese Castle that goes back to the XV cent; the beautiful Matteotti promenade with a great view over the Messina strai and the Etna: the Cathedral, destroyed in 1908 and then rebuilt.

Of fundamental importance for a tourist is the visit to the National Museum, one of the most interesting of Southern Italy and the richest in Magna Graecia reperts. It’s divided in sections: the prehistorical that goes from the Paleolithich to the Iron Age; the Archeological section, rich in archeological findings from all over the rhegion and the sea section with the Head of the Philosopher representing the bronze head of an old man with a long beard and the Bronzi di Riace, greek bronze statues representings two perfect bodied warriors that go back to the half of the V cent., found in the Riace sea in 1972.