Tourism Catanzaro - Italy

Catanzaro: Tourism information Catanzaro

Catanzaro

Catanzaro is a city in Calabria, Italy, the capital of the province of Catanzaro and also of the region Calabria.
This town rises on a rock and is split into two parts by the steep Fiumarella valley, the two sections being connected by a huge concrete steel bridge (the Viadotto Morandi), among the highest in Europe, built in 1960 on a design of architect Riccardo Morandi. The beach side neighborhood Catanzaro Lido, located about 5 kilometers south, has a wide promenade and a harbor for small fishing and pleasure boats.

Catanzaro: History

There are doubts on the origins of the name. Some say it derived from two Byzantine generals, Kattaro and Zaro, while another theory is that Zaro was the original name of the river (Zarapotamo), so that katà Zaro would mean beyond the river. According to Luigi Settembrini, the name could also be derived by the Greek words kata'- antheros "on the flowery (hills)"
The old town was built over three hills (St. Trifone or St. Rocco Hill; Episcopate's Hill; St. John's Hill) in Byzantine times.
Catanzaro was since the 11th century the lace capital of the world with a large silkworm breeding, it produced all the laces and linens used in the Vatican and supplied merchants that came from all over Europe to buy the silk in the port of Reggio Calabria soon before Pentecost day.
A devastating earthquake in 1783 wiped away churches, palaces and a large part of the population, and a second in 1832 completed the destruction of most ancient historical buildings.

Catanzaro localities:
Amaroni Amato ANDALI Argusto Badolato Belcastro BORGIA Botricello Caraffa Di Catanzaro Cardinale Carlopoli Catanzaro Cenadi Centrache Cerva Chiaravalle Centrale Cicala Conflenti Cortale Cropani Curinga Davoli Decollatura Falerna Feroleto Antico Fossato Serralta Gagliato Gasperina Gimigliano GIRIFALCO Gizzeria Guardavalle Isca Sullo Jonio Jacurso LAMEZIA TERME Magisano Maida Marcedusa Marcellinara Martirano Martirano Lombardo Miglierina Montauro MONTEPAONE MOTTA SANTA LUCIA NOCERA TIRINESE Olivadi Palermiti Pentone Petrizzi Petrona'' Pianopoli Platania San Floro San Mango D''aquino San Pietro A Maida San Pietro Apostolo San Sostene San Vito Sullo Ionio Santa Caterina Dello Ionio Sant''andrea Apostolo Dello Jonio Satriano Sellia Sellia Marina Serrastretta Sersale Settingiano Simeri Crichi Sorbo San Basile SOVERATO Soveria Mannelli Soveria Simeri Squillace Staletti Taverna Tiriolo TORRE DI RUGGIERO Vallefiorita Zagarise

Part of the information regarding the history, the art, the traditions and the events of the province of present Catanzaro on this page is drawn from the situated one www.wikipedia.org respecting the GNU Free Documentation License.