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Our country, “Italy”, a funny and elegant boot that possesses all kinds of attractions and beauties.
Different cultures and ways of living between the north and the south. If the north of Italy is the industrial, modern and richer side of the peninsula, the south on the other hand is where the heart and soul is.
Our city, “Vibo Valentia” is in the extreme south region of Italy called Calabria.
Calabria is at the toe of the boot, and boasts the surroundings of the splendid crystal blue Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas and separated from Sicily by the Straits of Messina. It is understandable that this geographical position makes Calabria well - known for its beaches but despite its beach reputation Calabria is also incredibly mountainous.
For what concerns nature every wish can be fulfilled, luckily our region is still made of pure and untamed sceneries, in a way it can still be considered wild and mysterious. It is not only for lovers of nature but also for those people who love history and art and want to immerse themselves in the rich historical past that Calabria offers also known as the cradle of Magna Graecia and the land of ancient settlements.
Calabria is made of five provinces Vibo Valentia, Catanzaro (regional capital), Cosenza, Reggio Calabria and Crotone.
Vibo Valentia is the capital city of the homonym Province. It is situated in the middle of the region and its roots are lost in Antiquity.
Historical aspects
Vibo Valentia was originally the Greek colony of Hypponion until 192 AD after this period it became a Roman colony with its current name and maintained throughout the first centuries of the Christian era a strong power and considerable influence.over most of the central and the Southern Tyrrhen ian Calabria. During the period of the Middle Ages the city suffered of depopulation and partial abandonment, a situation that was resolved thanks to Frederick II of Sweden. who rebuilt the same site of the Greek and Roman colony, taking the name of Monteleone for a lot of centuries. It is also thanks to Frederick II that Vibo Valentia today has this majestic castle that stands at the top of the city with its dominating position but many of the existing walls that are still visible today are due to the Angevin and Aragonese era.
Archaeological and architectural sites
From an archaeological point of view there is the possibility to visit the archaeological park characterized by a series of reserved areas scattered around the urban modern area and characterized by monumental structures of Greek and Roman times, as the Greek Walls, the temple of Cofino and the Roman neighbourhood of “Sant’Aloe. Also,within the premises of the castle there is the State Archaeological Museum “Vito Capialbi” with one of the most precious finds from the Hellenic past: “the Laminetta Aurea,” a golden lamina bearing the oldest Orpheus text found in Italy. From an architectural point of view the historical part of the city is characterized by a series of palaces and churches. This medieval historic center has been maintained in excellent conditions, with yellow tuff monumental buildings and streets paved with big lava rocks.
Different artistic styles can be evidenced in the various churches of Vibo Valentia. For example San Leo Luca (the cathedral of the city) and Santa Maria Maggiore both belonging to the 17th century have late antique Bizantine style. The Rosary Church was built in 1337 in Gothic style in the location of an existing Roman theater. The church was rebuilt several times after disasters (such as the 1783 earthquake) and retains the original Gothic chapel De Sirica Crispus, It is governed by the homonymous Confraternity and preserves several paintings by local artist Giulio Rubino. There are traces of the ancient church of San Michele which represents the Reaissance architecture in the South In St. Michael's Church there are traces of this ancient church, example of Renaissance architecture in the South. The bell tower of San Michele stands out in the city, and is entirely dominated by the Norman Castle, most likely erected on the site of the Hypponion acropolis.
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