Cosenza - Italian comune in the province of Cosenza, Calabria

Cosenza is an Italian city of Calabria, capital of the homonymous province.

Understand

Geography

Cosenza, was born on the hills along the Crati river valley, in the area where it flows into the Busento, a confluence that separates the historic centre, located on the Pancrazio hill, and the new city, developed along the left bank of the Crati.

The historic core, better known as Cosenza vecchia, reflects the common facies of the ancient hillside settlements, dominated by steep, narrow and winding alleys along which stands a building made up of small buildings and stately palaces, perched on the hill Pancrazio, subsequently on the Guarassano and Torrevetere hills, to the left of the Crati, while the houses on the remaining surrounding hills, Gramazio, Triglio, Mussano and Venneri, are very rare.

History

Ancient

The origins of the city date back to at least the eighth century BC, when the Italic village of Kos ("Kossa" in the list of cities located in Calabria compiled in the fifth century BC by the Greek historian Hecateus of Miletus, Ecat, stood on its territory. FGrHist 1 FF 64-71), whose coins, dating back to 420 BC, are now on display at the British Museum in London; in the 4th century BC it was probably conquered by the Bruzio people, the southern part of the Sabellic macro-group together with the Sicilians of Locride, who made their capital of Cossa (or Cosa) in the Crati Valley, as it was considered strategic for the control of the area. The first toponym, Kos / Kosa, perhaps recalls the leather skinskin (from the Greek kuus, cut / joined) with which the inhabitants probably took water in the two rivers of the city or sheltered themselves from the elements {without source and wall-mounted}; subsequently, with the Bruzi Cosa or Cossa goes to represent a Sabellic outcome of an Indo-European base for 'cavern' or 'grotta' (city of 'caves' built in tuff), while the Romans, after the defeat suffered at the hands of the Bruzi allies of Hannibal (ca. 201 BC) change the name to Co [n] sentia to divert attention from defeat and to remember the "consensus" of the two rivers (Livio: ubi consentiunt flumina), that is their join. The city developed rapidly and also came to exercise its control over Lucania and almost all the cities of Calabrian Magna Graecia, which fell one after the other under the continuous attacks of the Bruzi.

When the territory was subdued by the Romans, Cosentia became an important statio along the Via Capua-Rhegium. Under the empire of Augustus it assumed the characteristics of a commercial city which it maintained until the late imperial age. The 'king of the Visigoths', general of the Roman army, Alaric, after the sack of Rome in 410, died of illness in Cosenza, being buried near the Busento river.

Middle Ages-16th century

Transformed into a duchy in 568, from the 8th to the 9th century the city was under Byzantine rule and took the name of Constantia. Violently disputed by the Saracens and Lombards, the city was almost destroyed and rebuilt in 988. Unsuccessfully opposed to the Norman occupation of the eleventh century, it subsequently became the Duchy of the Swabians, one of the favorite cities of Frederick II. In the Angevin age, although it maintained a certain autonomy, the city went through a dark period, gripped by misery and banditry. Only in the 15th century was it chosen by Louis III of Anjou as a place of residence: in those years Cosenza was able to become the fulcrum of the Duchy of Calabria.

In the Aragonese period the city became the capital of Calabria Hither, which roughly included the current province of Cosenza. In this period the Cosentina Academy was born which, especially under the guidance of Bernardino Telesio, became one of the main cultural institutions of Southern Italy. The 16th century saw an impressive humanistic flowering and marked an intellectual rebirth for Cosenza: in those years the city obtained the nickname of "Athens of Calabria".

19th century to present

During the Napoleonic age the city was marked by an anti-clerical and libertarian orientation, strongly anti-Bourbon. With the Restoration there was no shortage of liberal and patriotic initiatives that culminated in the revolt of March 15, 1844. It was inspired by the Flag Brothers who, at the head of a group of Venetian republicans, tried to help the "Calabrian brothers" to emancipate themselves from the yoke Bourbon.

In the Fascist era, the city was affected by an extensive process of urban redevelopment and expansion, and suffered repeated bombings during the Second World War. The uncontrolled building expansion also characterized the post-war period, hegemonized by the Christian Democratic ruling classes which were later joined by the Socialists. In 1971 the resident population exceeded 100,000 inhabitants, against just 57,000 twenty years earlier: those were the years of abandonment of the historic city centre in favor of urban suburbs, often without services. In the following years Cosenza saw a sudden decline in population, to the advantage of the municipalities of the urban belt.

Landmarks

Corso Mazzini is the largest pedestrian area in the region since 2002 and is home to the Bilotti open-air museum which extends over the entire course from Piazza Bilotti to Piazza dei Bruzi. Among the numerous crossbeams that intersect it, the steps of Via Arabia adorned with artistic fountains with plays of water and light.

Corso Telesio is the main street of the historic center which extends over the entire course from piazza Valdesi to piazza XV Marzo.

Get in

By plane

Lamezia Terme Airport (or Sant'Eufemia International Airport) is the closest.

By car

The urban area of ​​Cosenza is an important hub of regional and national arteries:

• A2 Mediterranean motorway Salerno - Reggio Calabria or E45 Cosenza sud exit;
• State Road 107 Silana Crotonese or E846;
• Strada Statale 19 delle Calabrie.

By train

The city has two railway stations:

• Cosenza Vaglio Lise Station, with connections to Catanzaro, Paola and Sibari.
• Cosenza Centro Station, with connections to Catanzaro Lido.

Get around

By bus

• AMACO is the company that manages the Cosenza bus lines.

See

• National Gallery of Cosenza.
• Museum of Brettii and Enotri.
• Diocesan Museum.
• Museum of Arts and Crafts.
• House of Cultures.
• Bilotti open air museum (MAB).
• Norman-Swabian Castle.
• Cathedral of Cosenza.
• Villa Rendano.
• National Library of Cosenza.
• Cosenza Civic Library.
• Bridge of San Francesco da Paola.

Do

• Discover Cosenza. It is a service offered to tourists to experience the city either on foot or by bus, accompanied by specialized guides. The five walking itineraries are: Classic; Beyond the Crati; In the heart of the ancient city; The chord of the two semicircles - The Crati river; The places of art between yesterday and today. The two itineraries on the bus: by day and by night.
• Five Senses of March. It is an urban trekking itinerary that takes place on the third Saturday of each month to discover the historic centre of Cosenza.
• Consentia Itinera (dead link: January 2023). Multimedia itineraries in the history of the city of Cosenza divided into seven rooms.
• Multimedia Museum (dead link: January 2023). The space where culture and technology are produced and meet.
• Planetarium Giovan Battista Amico.

Events and parties

• Joseph's Fair. In March.
• Cosentino New Year. 31 December.
• San Giuseppe Rock. In March.
• The Spring of Italian Cinema - Federico II Award. In April.
• Bleachers on stage. In September.
• Calabria film festival. In October.

Shows

• Rendano Theatre.
• Morelli Theatre.

Buy

In the historic centre, on Corso Plebiscito, at the foot of Colle Triglio, there are shops and small shops where you can find objects and artifacts of local and non-local crafts.

Shopping centres

• I Due Fiumi.
• La City Shopping Centre.
• Gransole.

Eat

Budget

• Mi 'Ndujo - Genuine Sandwich.
• La comalpi.
• Toto pizza.
• Boss Burger Street Food.

Mid-range

• La Cantina Cosentina.
• Calabria Bella.
• Il Vicoletto.
• Da Salvino...Ristoratori dal 1967.

Drink

Sleep

Mid-range

• B&B Erifrà Piccolo Hotel.
• B&B Paparelle.
• Link Hotel.
• Vescovo Rosso Hotel.

Stay safe

Go next

• Camigliatello Silano. Ski slopes.
• Sila National Park.
• Sanctuary of San Francesco da Paola.