Reggio di Calabria, as its inhabitants love calling it, is the oldest and most populous Calabrian town. Its origins, in fact, go back to the seventh century B.C. and it was, together with Crotone and Sibari, one of the most import­ant colonies of Magna Graecia. Today it counts more than 170 thousand inhabitants and still remains the main point of contact between Italy and the Mediterranean. It stands on the cast coast of the Straits of Messina; it laces the Sicilian coast and is connected to it by ferryboats and hydrofoils. From the bright seafront, among luxuriant grass plots, one can admire the “Fata Morgana”, an amaz­ing phenomenon: thanks to a particular show of lights, the whole town is reflected on the sea.

Reggio is also a seaside resort, the climate is very mild and the landscape is preciously rich in exotic plants. Among pine trees, palms and oranges there are Greek ruins, the remains of huge walls of the 5^th century and the Roman baths with mosaic floors that are evidence of a great past. Today, Reggio Calabria is the seat of the Regional Council of Calabria and is a land of culture and art, where you can find one of the most prestigious Universities of architecture. The Via Marina is magnificent. The continuous flowering of the beautiful avenue, the deep blue of the sea facing it, the fascination of the sunsets that give beautiful colors to the landscape, all these make this avenue one of the most suggestive of Italy.

The National Museum is a monumental travertine stone building decorated with reliefs that represent the most beautiful coins of Magna Graecia. The Monuments and Fine Arts Service of Calabria is situated in Reggio, its library counts one of the richest archaeological collection of the “italiota” civilization found in the Calabrian soil during some excavation. The Bronzi are certainly Reggio Cala­bria's best treasure, the two ancient Greek masterpieces were found in the sea opposite Riace on August 16th 1972. Together with the Greek and Roman ruins one can admire also the Aragonese Castle, the Cathedral and the Church of the “0ttimati”. The Romanesque style cathe­dral, with a nave and two aisles and a marble pulpit made by Angiolini, keeps some sepulchers of the seventeenth century, the portrait of Our Lady of the Assumption and of the Resurrection, and a canvas of Lazzaro which has been assigned to F. Solimena. The Aragonese Castle has two cylindrical bastions. The church of the “Ottimati” still keeps the ruins of a Norman floor and a late sixteenth century portrait of the Annunciation by A. Ciampelli.

History of Reggio Calabria

The “messeni” refugees have founded Reggio Calabria, of “calcidese” origin like Messina. It has been the town of the legendary Caronda whose laws favored peace and development for at least two centuries. Reggio Cala­bria has been, along the coasts of the Straits, a trade centre and had a great political and military influence. Peacetime ended with the Persian struggles for the capture of lonia, with the fall of Sibari and the war of Cuma against the Etruscans. In this period it was Annasilao to change the town's destiny, he captured Zanche (Messina) and made Scillaeum (Scilla) become a small fortress. However in 480, Anassilao suffered the Carthaginians' defeat at Imera, they were his allies against the Siculi. Reggio was obliged to submit to Siracusa.

At Anassilao's death, his sons contracted an alliance with Taranto, but they were heavily defeated by the lapigi. In 461, after hardly six years of government, Anas­silao's sons were driven out of town. The wars of the Peloponnese saw Reggio sided with Athens against Locri that was allied with Sparta, while it remained neutral dur­ing the struggle between Athens and Siracusa. Reggio's defeat from the Syracusani was fatal: the town was taken by force and destroyed. Dionisio il Grande who changed its name from Rhegion in Febea rebuilt it. In 351 it was freed from the yoke of Syracuse and in 282 it entered into an alliance with the Romans in order to drive back the Bruzi’s attack. The Roman armed forces, availing 4000 “campani”, occupied it in 280 during the war against Pyrrhus. An independent state was born, however, Rome occupied the town again in 270 and fed­erated it with the name of Rhegium. In 289 it became a Roman municipium. During the Imperial Age, Reggio kept Greek language and its characteristics untouched and were the only Calabrian town not to suffer a state of decay. In 410 Alarico arrived and destroyed it. In 510 it was under Totila's rule and later the Byzantines' that named the town metropolis of their properties in Southern Italy. The Saracens and the Longobards invaded later Reggio but it went back to the Byzantines. In 1060 Roberto il Guiscardo captured it. It took place to the “Vespers” with the centers of Sicily and in 1282 it sided with the. Aragonesi during the war, which followed. In 1302, with the peace treaty of Caltabellota, it passed to the Angevins of Naples. Under the rule of Spain (fourteenth century), it was several times attacked by the Barbarians losing prestige and importance. The French general Reyner captured it in 1808 and Napoleon made it become a dukedom for the general Oudinot. In 1847 it revolted against the Bourbons. Garibaldians captured it on October 20th 1860.

Traditional Events

The International Citrus Fair takes place every year and usually in December. During the spring in Reggio (March 21^st – June 21^st) several cultural demonstrations take place such as: the Byzantine Studies Meetings and the “Rhegium Juli” National Award. The Photographic and Sub-standard Film National Award takes place in September. The Literary, Artistic and Scientific Ibico Reggino Award, the “Festa Della Madonna” in September.

Gastronomy

Reggio's cuisine has a special partiality for eggplants that are cooked in many ways, even with the pasta or stuffed and baked. Well-known is the tuna of Reggio Calabria, cooked in the Bagnara way. In Reggio one can taste excellent sweets. In particular the Christmas torroni and the “frutta martorana” made with marzipan. The wines are Greek. They are white wines such as the Greco di Gerace, and the Greco di Bianco. Among the red wines the Pellaro is an excellent table wine. One must not forget the Zibibbo (a kind of muscatel vine), the Palizzi and the Muscat vine, which is a dessert wine.