Bova Marina
The story of Bova Marina
Hello friends, today I will tell you about Bova Marina, a beautiful town located in the Calabria region of Italy. Its name in Calabrian Greek is "Jalò tu Vùa", while in Calabrian dialect it is known as "A Marìna". With its 4,029 inhabitants, Bova Marina is located in the metropolitan city of Reggio Calabria and is one of the hidden gems of Calabria.
The city has an interesting history. Bova Marina was founded by Monsignor Dalmazio D'Andrea, Archdiocese of Reggio Calabria-Bova, around 1870. D'Andrea bought a strip of land along the Siderone stream from the Regio Demanio and divided it to give it to the farmers who wanted to come down from the mountain, thus forming a small urban agglomeration. The city rises on ancient Jewish, Byzantine, and Greek settlements, the remains of which are still visible today in the surrounding areas.
In 1908, Bova Marina became an autonomous municipality thanks to the Royal Decree, and in the same years the railway arrived. The city soon became a commercial attraction, thanks to the large and important livestock fair and the products made by artisans.
World War II and the postwar period
During World War II, Bova Marina was heavily bombed by the Americans in search of the Germans fleeing to the mountains. After the war, with the flood that hit the Bovesia area, many inhabitants of Roghudi Vecchio, Bova, and other centers in the area abandoned their towns and settled in Bova Marina, determining an important demographic growth.
In the 1960s, the statue of the Madonna del Mare, a work by the sculptor Celestino Petrone, was placed on the promontory of Capo San Giovanni d'Avalos. This statue is still highly revered by the population.
In 2008, Bova Marina celebrated the centenary of the declaration of autonomous municipality.
Monuments and places of interest
One interesting thing to see in Bova Marina is the Jewish settlement in the San Pasquale valley, where the remains of an ancient synagogue with an important mosaic dating back to the 4th century AD can be found. In the same area, there is a large Roman structure (1st-4th century AD) and the Byzantine church of Panaghia (known as the "Tutta Santa").
In the Apàmbelo area, on a hill reachable only on foot, there are the perimeter walls and apse of the 10th-century Byzantine church of S. Niceto, along with remains from the Bronze Age and medieval monastic dwellings.
In more recent times, from the Norman conquest onwards (10th-12th century AD), the most important center of the territory became Bova - Chora, perched on a powerful rock at over 900 meters above sea level, from which the current inhabited area in the marina area then originated again. The oldest part of Bova Marina developed in the 19th century around the current Borgo street.
Conclusions
Here you have it, friends, a brief history of Bova Marina. This city is a hidden gem in the Calabria region, with an interesting history and many places of interest to visit. The city was founded by a bishop and has a rich cultural history dating back to Jewish, Byzantine, and Grecan settlements. Come visit Bova Marina to learn more about its history and culture!
