Castiglione Cosentino
Castiglione Cosentino: the town on the Calabrian hills
Castiglione Cosentino is an Italian municipality located in the province of Cosenza, in Calabria, with a population of approximately 2,000 people. The town is situated at an altitude of 400 meters above sea level, at the western edge of the Sila Grande, on a hilly slope overlooking the high valley of the Crati River. The municipality covers a total area of 24.2 km², characterized by an altimetric profile that mainly consists of typical hilly regions, but also includes small portions of plain and semi-mountainous areas.
History: between the ancient city of Arintha and the medieval foundation
According to some historians, Castiglione Cosentino was built on the site of the ancient city of Arintha (Άρινθα in Greek), but the generally accepted theory is that it was founded in the 9th century by inhabitants of Cosenza who fled from the sudden attacks of Saracens, and found shelter on the nearby hills. In quick succession, numerous "Casali di Cosenza" (Cosenza's hamlets) were built, including Castiglione. It was a fief of the Castiglione family (from which the municipality is thought to have taken its name) and, later, of the di Palma family.
The historical and architectural heritage of the municipality is well represented by its two main churches: the parish church of Saints Nicolò and Biagio, from the 16th century, and the church of Saint Anthony of Padua and the attached Capuchin convent, from the 17th century.
Society: the demographic evolution of the town
Castiglione Cosentino has experienced a constant demographic decline in recent decades. In 1951, the municipality had about 4,000 inhabitants, but by 2021 the population had reduced to approximately 2,000 individuals. This phenomenon is observed in many areas of southern Italy, due to migration to cities or abroad, which is putting the survival of many small municipalities at risk.
Infrastructure and transport: the railway station and main roads
The municipality is served by the Castiglione Cosentino railway station, located in the Quattromiglia area, on the Paola-Cosenza Railway and the Cosenza-Sibari Railway lines. The nearest highway access point, 18 km away, is the Rende-Cosenza Nord on the A2-Autostrada del Mediterraneo. The main roads that cross the territory are the Provincial Road 229 Castiglione-San Pietro in Guarano-Pianette and the Provincial Road 234 Riva Destra Crati.
Administration: management of the municipality
The municipality is run by a mayor and a city council, elected every five years. Currently, the mayor of Castiglione Cosentino is Dr. Antonio Mazzei.
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Bibliography
Other projects: in-depth information on Castiglione Cosentino
For more information on Castiglione Cosentino and its territory, you can visit the official website of the municipality or consult other online sources. The beauty of the landscapes and monuments of the municipality makes Castiglione Cosentino an ideal place for nature and culture lovers, who can find numerous points of interest here.
