Catanzaro
©
Catanzaro

Catanzaro

Calabrian capital on a ridge above the Fiumarella gorge, linked by viaduct and funicular.

Catanzaro is the capital of Calabria, sitting on a dramatic ridge above the Fiumarella gorge in the toe of the Italian boot. The city is bisected by the deep valley and reconnected by the massive Viadotto Morandi — one of the highest concrete viaducts in southern Italy, completed in 1960. A funicular railway dating from 1929 still carries residents between the upper historic centre and the lower commercial quarter, one of the few surviving urban funiculars in the south.

The old town was built over three hills in Byzantine times. From the 11th century Catanzaro was the lace capital of Europe, producing the finest silk and linen for the Vatican and for merchants who came from across the continent. A devastating earthquake in 1783 wiped away most of the ancient buildings; a second in 1832 completed what the first had started. The Cathedral was rebuilt in the 1950s but retains important paintings and silver from the earlier church. The Museo Provinciale holds Magna Graecia archaeology and Byzantine religious art that explain the region's deep, layered history.

Catanzaro is the birthplace of Nobel Prize winner Renato Dulbecco (medicine, 1975) and of Mimmo Rotella, the artist who invented décollage. The beach town Catanzaro Lido, five kilometres south, has a long promenade on the Ionian Sea.

Guide

Things to Do

Catanzaro rewards patient exploration rather than headline attractions. The Viadotto Morandi — the massive concrete bridge splitting the city across the Fiumarella gorge — is the defining visual feature of modern Catanzaro. The funicular connecting the upper city to the lower marine district is one of Italy's few remaining urban funicular railways. The Cathedral of the Immaculate dominates the historic centre, rebuilt in the 1950s on the site of its destroyed predecessors.

Guide

When to Go

Catanzaro sits at 320 metres above sea level, which keeps it cooler than the Calabrian coast in summer. July and August bring the hottest temperatures but the city is active — though much of the population heads for the beach. Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) are the most comfortable for walking the city streets. Winter is mild but occasionally wet, with snow possible in the higher surrounding hills. The feast of the Madonna of the Mountains in late August draws visitors from across the province.