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.
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