The city center features a long and narrow main street with elegant and majestic buildings that once belonged to noble families, some of which have now been converted into public facilities. Halfway along, you'll find Prefettura Square, which is the largest, as well as other smaller squares, ancient churches, two oratories, some museums, small gardens, picturesque corners, and various shops.
The historic center consists of a vast cluster of alleys and narrow streets lined with small houses facing each other, which together form the oldest districts, reflecting a Byzantine-style layout.
Below we highlight everything worth knowing about the city, for its history, its uniqueness, and of course, its beauty.
BRIDGE
BISANTIS/MORANDI
Viaduct F. Bisantis
It is a true monument of engineering and architecture, so much so that it has become a symbol of the city, built to facilitate entry into the city and avoid the old route. Also known as Morandi Bridge, after the architect Riccardo Morandi (Rome 1/9/1902 - 25/12/1989) who designed it in 1962. At the time of its construction, it was mentioned as the second largest single-arch reinforced concrete bridge in Europe and the world in terms of span width, after the Swedish Sandöbron with an arch span (span) of 231 m; height from the valley floor 110 m; roadbed length 468.45 m. The bridge's centering is the largest ever built in the world: 120 m high and resistant to wind gusts exceeding 140 km/h.
BELLAVISTA
Via De Seta
It is a striking balcony that offers a wide view from above along the Fiumarella valley. On particularly clear days, you can see the entire Gulf of Squillace, stretching from the Castelle area to Punto Stilo. At the end of the 18th century, its location was renowned as one of the destinations visited by British aristocrats exploring Europe. Many writers, artists, and travelers, struck by the beauty of the landscapes, later described them in their travel diaries (Gissing and Lenormant). Catanzaro, in fact, was later defined as “the queen of panoramas.”
MONUMENTAL COMPLEX
OF SAN GIOVANNI
P.zza G. Garibaldi
The Monumental Complex was built between the 15th and 17th centuries and consists of the remains of the Norman-Swabian castle, the former Teresian Convent, later transformed into a prison, recently converted into exhibition areas, offices, and an archive dedicated to the historian Emilia Zinzi (Cz - 15/4/1921- 9/9/2004), with the church of San Giovanni next to it, while on the upper part there is the panoramic square, the 19th-century turret known as that of Charles V, completed by the Cavatore fountain and the galleries. The entrance is at the top of a staircase that leads to the inner courtyard, where cultural events often take place.
THE QUARRYMAN
P.zza G. Matteotti
Sculpture by Giuseppe Rito, made of bronze between 1951 and 1954, placed in a niche in the walls of the San Giovanni monumental complex. It depicts a man digging in the rock, from which water flows, making it a monumental fountain. It stands out for the color contrast between the sculpture and the gray granite base and celebrates the toil of human labor.
MONUMENT TO
FRANCESCO STOCCO
P.zza Stocco
White marble statue, inaugurated on 20/9/1898 and dedicated to the Garibaldian general Francesco Stocco (Adami, Decollatura (CZ) - 1/3/1806 - Nicastro, 7/11/1880), depicted in an act of defiance, holding in his left hand a telegram informing him of the failure of the Sicilian revolt. It is the work of the sculptor Francesco Scerbo (Polistaena RC, 1844-1908).
CASTLE GALLERIES
Corso G. Mazzini
The Galleries represent the ancient dungeons of the castle dating back to 1070, a kind of underground passageways, recently brought to light and only partially open to visitors. They were used as easy connections for nobles and soldiers in case of attack, or as shelters or escape routes, allowing them to exit at various points outside the city.
MURAL
BY MIMMO ROTELLA
Via G. Mazzini
Named “MURAL”, it was created after the war, decorating the right facade of the Post Office building in the historic center, built in the area where the historic Teatro Real San Francesco once stood, demolished in 1938 and nicknamed San Carlino for its architectural and cultural similarities to the Teatro San Carlo in Naples). The author of the mural is Mimmo Rotella, an artist of the Nouveau Réalisme movement, a key figure in European art and famous for the technique of tearing wall posters, known as the Decollage technique. In bas-relief stand out envelopes, telegraphs, buttons, carrier pigeons, and telephone keypads. With this work, Mimmo Rotella wanted to represent the progress of postal means.
MONUMENT TO THE FALLEN
OF THE 1915-1918 WAR P.zza G. Matteotti
The monument to the fallen of the 1915/18 War is a powerful bronze sculptural group with classical features. The work of Michele Guerrisi (Cittanova, 1893 - Reggio Calabria 1963). The inauguration dates back to November 26, 1933, in the presence of the King of Italy Vittorio Emanuele III of Savoy. The work is set on a rectangular granite base and, in the composition, five figures can be distinguished expressing an intense moment of war: the first three, placed in the foreground, depict three infantrymen, one of whom is standing in the act of throwing a grenade, while the other two are placed on the sides. In the back, there are two more infantrymen, one lifeless on the ground, the other, on the contrary, about to get up. Due to the bombings of '43, the figure of the Weeping Mother was damaged and has not been present since then.
MATTEOTTI SQUARE
P.zza G. Matteotti
The area where it is located, after an initial renovation, underwent a new redevelopment thanks to new paving in corsite and the installation of a triangular fountain with multicolored seating around it. Several buildings of some interest overlook this square, such as the historic school building Palazzo dell’ITIS E. Scalfaro, dating back to the early 1900s. Next to it stands the Stac exhibition hall, the old Art Nouveau station from 1909 that was part of the city's tram line, and the Umbertine-style Courthouse, a bank branch with semicircular windows for effect and a front entrance that once belonged to the Grande Albergo Moderno, and the Cavatore fountain.
MEDITERRANEAN BIODIVERSITY PARK
MEDITERRANEAN
MICHELE TRAVERSA
Via V. Cortese
With an area of about 60 hectares, the Mediterranean Biodiversity Park was created from the redevelopment of the old Agricultural School. Today it is an ecosystem where a great variety of flora and fauna coexist and, above all, a multi-thematic system where the naturalistic dimension intertwines with the cultural, sports, and recreational ones. Inside, it hosts the headquarters of the CRAS (Wildlife Recovery Center), the MUSMI (Historical Military Museum "Brigata Catanzaro"), and the NOE Ecological Operations Unit of the Carabinieri. It also hosts the International Sculpture Park, the first in Southern Italy. So far, several works have been installed, including: Man and Ballerina by S. Balkenhol, Cast Glances by T. Cragg, The Man Who Measures the Clouds by J. Fabre, Seven Times, the installation of seven works by A. Gormley, Witnesses, the installation of four works by M. Paladino, Totem by M. Quinn. In November 2009, Electric Kisses, the two installations by D. Oppenheim evoking ancient pagodas, were installed, and in 2010, the two installations by M. Pistoletto The Temples Change-Third Paradise, a reinterpretation of classicism, and The Shores of the Mediterranean-Love Difference in 68 colored stones, which serves as a place of interaction between different cultures. N.B. In Catanzaro there are two other green areas: the Siano Pinewood ("Li Comuni" Forest) and the Giovino Pinewood (Lido district).
FOUNTAIN OF
SAINT CATHERINE
P.zza Conte di Cavour
So named because it was originally placed in front of the church of the same name, which has long since been closed. Built at the end of the 19th century by the Société AnonymedesHauts-Forneaux & Fonderiesedu Val D’Osne, the largest foundry in Europe, created by the sculptor Mathurin Moreau. The cast iron work, restored in 2002, can be seen in its original splendor.
MASCIARI THEATER
P.zza Le Pera
Once serving as a theater, it is located in the heart of the historic center, built in 1923. It was later transformed into a cinema, but then experienced a long period of decline until its renovation in 1991 and is still awaiting redevelopment today. It is an elegant Art Nouveau building with a stalls area and a balcony that can comfortably accommodate 424 spectators. In the 1940s, the most famous variety show companies such as Totò's, as well as artistic events of all kinds, from music to poetry to recitals, contributed significantly to strengthening the city's noble cultural tradition. It boasts an interesting rear exit with a double baroque-style curved ramp.
TEATRO POLITEAMA
Via Jannoni
It stands in the heart of the historic center in the area resulting from the demolition of the old Politeama theater, a structure built in the 1930s along with the contemporary Market. The theater was designed by Paolo Portoghesi (Rome 2/11/1931 - Calcata (VT), 30/5/2023), one of the greatest Italian architects, while the design of the structural systems was by engineer Franco Portoghesi. The structure of the theater (53,000 cubic meters in volume, 5,700 square meters of surface area) revolves around a horseshoe-shaped hall (500 square meters). The parterre, which contains rows of seats for 372 spectators, follows an undulating movement on an almost concave surface (with a slope of almost 18%). Along the curved line of the hall there are five tiers of boxes, decorated with seven-pointed stars (this too is a musical symbol) and can accommodate another 550 spectators. The stage, with its large dimensions and technological equipment, allows for the performance of various types of shows, from grand opera to symphonic concerts, from dance to operetta, from drama to musicals.
VILLA MARGHERITA
Via G.Jannoni
Work of the decorators Federico and Enrico Andreotti and enriched by the architect Feher with his extensive and lush gardens, it stands at an altitude of 320 meters, which allows you to enjoy a refined panorama ranging from the Sila mountains to the opposite coasts. It was created at the behest of the mayor of the time, Francesco De Seta, who was determined to transform a rugged land, used as a vegetable garden and vineyard, into the current villa. On the occasion of the visit of the royal family, it was named after Queen Margherita, who inaugurated it together with King Umberto I on 21/1/1881. Inside the Villa are the Municipal Library “F. de Nobili”, which preserves thousands of volumes and very ancient manuscripts, and the Numismatic Museum March.
A GUTTA
Lido district - 13 km from the center
It is an old iron buoy with a cylindrical shape, useful as an anchorage for boats or for local young swimmers to dive into the sea. The buoy disappeared after a storm, but in 1995 it resurfaced. In September of the same year, in the same place, it was decided to recover it, which was not entirely simple due to its considerable size (about five meters in diameter and two meters high), and also full of water and debris, making it heavier than expected. Once restored, it was placed in the gardens in front of the “Stefano Pugliese” seafront and opposite the Ina Casa complex.
CATANZARO COLORFUL
13 km from the center - Lido district - Port
A site-specific “land art” intervention carried out in the Lido district, by Massimo Sirelli, an artist from Catanzaro. In 2014, on the occasion of the street-art event “ALT!-rove Festival”, the artist painted the artificial cliff made up of gray concrete breakwaters, turning into reality “his personal vision” of those cubic structures that he imagined transforming into “a group of giant Lego bricks thrown into the sea of Catanzaro.” Created with strictly eco-friendly water-based enamels, the work immediately captured the attention of residents and tourists, and in a short time managed to establish itself as an identifying tourist attraction that increased the visibility and appeal of the Calabrian capital. (source: Sabrina Mantelli-Catanzaro City Mag).
THE DUNES OF GIOVINO
Lido district - 13 km from the center-
This is a naturalistic area characterized by the spontaneous formation of dunes and the presence of rare plant and animal species, covering about 15.5 hectares between the mouth of the Castace stream and the Alli river to the east, while on the west side it borders the mouth of the Corace river. These three river mouths have significant naturalistic value, both for the botanical species and for the animal species. Among the rare and protected plant species present, protected by specific regulations, is the Pancratium Maritimum, of the Amaryllidaceae family, commonly known as the Sea Lily. Among the animal species, mention should be made of the presence of the Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus), one of the smallest waders nesting on Italian beaches; it is a good environmental indicator, as its presence provides useful information on the natural state of the marine-coastal ecosystem. Of considerable importance is the constant presence of the Caretta Caretta turtle on the beach of the Dunes of Giovino. A bill has been proposed for the establishment of the Regional Nature Reserve "Dune di Giovino" (source: www.regione.calabria.it)
JUSTICE AND FREEDOM
Lido district - 13 km from the center-
Bronze sculpture, work of Giuseppe Rito, placed at the end of the first flight of stairs, in the atrium of the Palace of Justice (Courthouse). It was created using the remains of the Weeping Mother, a statue also in bronze that was part of the Monument to the Fallen, placed in front of the Courthouse, destroyed by an air displacement caused by the bombings of 1943. The work represents two female figures: one with an open chest representing justice, while the other, holding the scales, represents justice.
P.zza Matteotti
MULTIFUNCTIONAL
GIOVANNI COLOSIMO
Via Giuseppe Mazzini
Named "MURAL", it was created after the war, decorating the right facade of the Post Office building in the historic center, built in the area where the historic Teatro Real San Francesco once stood, demolished in 1938 and nicknamed San Carlino for its architectural and cultural similarities to the Teatro San Carlo in Naples. The author of the mural is Mimmo Rotella, an artist of the Nouveau Réalisme movement, a key figure in European art and famous for the technique of tearing wall posters, called the Decollage technique. In bas-relief, envelopes, telegraphs, keys, carrier pigeons, and telephone keyboards stand out. With this work, Mimmo Rotella wanted to represent the progress of postal means.
GLASS MOSAIC
Lido District - Seafront - 13 km from the city center
This is the work that accompanies the promenade of Catanzaro's seaside district, created by the renowned Atelier founded by the Mendini brothers, based in Milan, which has produced prestigious and famous projects all over the world. The numbers of this impressive work, inaugurated in 2014, are record-breaking: 5 million tiles stretch over 1800 meters in length for a total surface area of about 20,000 square meters. There are nine colors and designs that alternate along the entire wall overlooking the road, making up the longest mosaic in the world—at the time of its creation—as architect Mendini himself pointed out during the press presentation of the seafront wall redevelopment works. The mosaic is made up of "tiles" created from glassy material, very bright and resistant. (source: www.comune.catanzaro.it)
TORRE CAVALLARA
Q.re Lido - 13 km from the center
A 17th-century watchtower, it lies on a hill just a few steps from the Ionian coast of Catanzaro. The structure was built for defensive purposes against Saracen invasions. The tower, with a square base, is called "Cavallara" because it housed the Cavallari, who were responsible for fast communications in case of danger. The horses were kept on the ground floor, in a room with a barrel vault and a central pillar. Access to the upper floor was via an external staircase with a drawbridge. Torre Cavallara was part of a large system of lookout structures built along the entire coast. The precious “Codice Carratelli,” a late 16th-century manuscript consisting of 99 recently rediscovered watercolors, depicts its complexity and importance. From the plateau at the top of the hill on which the tower stands, there is a view of the entire Gulf of Squillace, the marvelous land overlooking the Ionian Sea, from Isola Capo Rizzuto to Punta Stilo. A territory now divided among the provinces of Crotone, Catanzaro, and Reggio Calabria, unique for its historical interest and natural beauty. A land where the myth of Ulysses lives, the memory of the splendors of Magna Graecia and the Roman Empire, of the Byzantines and the Arabs. Archaeological areas such as Scolacium, just a few kilometers from Torre Cavallara, and medieval villages perched on the hills: everywhere are testimonies to the great works of man. A territory where the crystalline waters of the Ionian coexist with mighty, wooded mountains. That smells of citrus and eucalyptus, caressed by the beauty of magnificent olive groves, never lacking in Mediterranean culinary specialties. The Ionian side of Italy’s narrowest isthmus dominated by the legendary Mount Tiriolo. Torre Cavallara is therefore a place that embraces this land at the center of the Mediterranean, whose richness is the infinite variety of its historical, scenic, and cultural heritage.