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Details: Category: dintornis; Last Updated on Saturday, 24 February 2024 12:52; Published on Friday, 24 May 2013 14:57; Hits: 562

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Archeoderi Archaeological Park holds significant evidence of Calabria's history, a place of worship identified as an ancient Synagogue.

The land of Calabria, with its thousands-years-old history, has been visited by all the Mediterranean peoples. All of them have found means of sustenance here, leaving behind traces of their presence.The Jews deserve special mention.

Traces of Jewish Settlements in Calabria

The Jews deserve special mention. Their presence in Calabria is evidenced by numerous references, in documents and in the many household tools found almost everywhere in the region. But the most amazing proof of their presence, and a visitor’s must, are the monumental traces of a Jewish settlement preserved in Archeoderi Archaeological Park, in Bova Marina.These Jews lived stably in this most southern tip of Italy, where they also built a synagogue. The remains of this Synagogue came to light during excavations triggered by accident. The patterns and depictions of a mosaic floor have allowed archaeologists to identify this place of worship as a Synagogue.

Archeoderi and the Oldest Synagogue in Italy, after the one in Ostia

This is the oldest Synagogue in Italy, after the one in Ostia: dating back to the 4^th century A.D., its mosaics depict typical Jewish worship items a seven-branched candelabrum, a ram’s horn, Solomon’s knot, a cedar. But what was a synagogue doing in the deepest part of Calabria?

San Pasquale – the site where it was built – is a bay with very ancient traces of human settlements. In this site there used to be shrines of other cults as well. It was thus an important place, where the presence of man was closely linked to the benevolence of deities. In this place in Roman times there was a rest station; finds of Italic inhabitants before the Greeks have been found here; the name ‘Deri’ itself suggests the toponym ‘Delia’, a city of which no traces have yet been found.

What is certain is that a sea current flowing from Alexandria to Egypt and crossing the Mediterranean reaches this very part of the coast. Its natural position might have made it the logical site for a Jewish settlement, perhaps of Alexandrian Jews, who used it as a landing point before sailing off again to the Western and Northern Mediterranean.

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Reggio Calabria
Reggio Calabria is located at the tip of the 'Boot', on the slopes of the Aspromonte Park, on the eastern shore of the Strait of Messina, from which it enjoys spectacular views of Sicily, Mount Etna and the Aeolian Islands. Traditionally called the City of Fata Morgana because the rare optical-mythological phenomenon of the Fata Morgana occurs here, during which the Sicilian coast seems to be only a few metres away, making it possible to distinguish houses, cars and people very well. Reggio is well known for its famous Riace Bronzes, a symbol of its Magna Graecia origins. National Archaeological Museum: considered one of the most important museums of Magna Graecia (MARC), it houses the well-known Riace Bronzes, the two sublime warrior figures that represent the ideal image of classical Greek culture, in which the naturally perfect human body becomes a manifestation of the harmony of the universe. Lungomare Falcomatà: defined by Gabriele D'Annunzio as "the most beautiful kilometre in Italy", it is populated by palm trees, magnolias, flowers and exotic plants that form a long botanical garden and an ideal setting for events and shows of all kinds.

The avenue is adorned with Art Nouveau buildings and enriched by elements that indirectly trace the city's history, such as numerous memorials, a monumental fountain and some archaeological sites, evidence of Greco-Roman antiquity. Corso Garibaldi: bustling and full of shops, the city's main artery represents the new face of the city. The Cathedral of Reggio Calabria: it is the largest church in Calabria with its white and bright façade, punctuated by half-columns, enlivened by mullioned windows with two lights and small arches, decorated with rose windows and reliefs. Inside, the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament represents with its polychrome marble the most significant expression of Reggino baroque. The Aragonese Castle: of very ancient origin, today only the two cylindrical crenellated towers remain, giving it its characteristic 'Aragonese' appearance.