Montebello Ionico
Reggio Calabria: a modern city with a millenary history
Reggio Calabria is a municipality located on the eastern coast of the Strait of Messina in Calabria, with a population of over 171,000 inhabitants. It is the largest city and the only Metropolitan City in the region, as well as the seat of the Regional Council of Calabria. But Reggio Calabria is also the oldest city in Greek Calabria, with a millenary history that has seen it prosper as a Magna Graecia city.
The Great Reggio and the Metropolitan Area of the Strait of Messina
Reggio Calabria is the leader of the Great Reggio, an urban agglomeration that includes the various municipalities on the Calabrian shore of the Strait of Messina. Together with the Metropolitan Area of Messina, it represents the exact geographic center of the Mediterranean Sea, known to the ancient Romans as "Mare Nostrum". The Metropolitan Area of the Strait of Messina is a conurbation characterized by strong social and economic integration between the municipalities on both sides of the strait.
The National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria
Reggio Calabria hosts the National Archaeological Museum, which exhibits a vast collection of Magna Graecia artifacts, including the famous Riace Bronzes. These two bronzes represent two life-size Greek warriors, discovered in 1972 off the coast of the municipality and considered true masterpieces of Greek art of the time.
The physical geography of Reggio Calabria
The municipal territory of Reggio Calabria stretches along the eastern coast of the Strait of Messina for about 32 km and eastward, from sea to mountains, for another 30 km or so, with areas of half coast, hills and mountains. The city covers an area of 236.02 km² and extends from a minimum altitude of 0 meters to a maximum of 1,803 meters above sea level.
The historic center of Reggio Calabria was rebuilt at an average altitude of 31 meters above sea level after the disastrous Messina Earthquakes of 1908. The coastline in front of the historic center has been leveled on three volumes, via marina bassa, via marina alta and botanical strip. The entire municipal territory stretches from Catona (north) to Bocale (south).
Reggio Calabria is located on the tip of the "boot," at the foot of the Aspromonte. It overlooks the Strait of Messina to the west, which separates it from Messina, while to the east it extends towards the hills and mountains. In the hamlet of Bocale, the city is crossed by the 38th parallel north, where a monument to the 38th parallel was erected.
The promontory of Hercules
The southernmost point of the Italian peninsula is located in the Metropolitan Area of Reggio Calabria, precisely in the municipality of Palizzi. The promontory of Hercules, now known as Capo Spartivento, offers a spectacular view of the Mediterranean Sea. Here, in 1867, the Capo Spartivento Lighthouse was built, at 64 meters above sea level.
In summary, Reggio Calabria is a modern city with an ancient and fascinating history, immersed in a unique geographical position and overlooking one of the most beautiful seas in the world, the Mediterranean Sea. With its cultural heritage and its socio-economic importance in the Metropolitan Area of the Strait of Messina, Reggio Calabria is a city worth visiting and appreciating.
