Pallagorio
Discovering the Province of Crotone
Hello everyone! Today I'll be talking about the province of Crotone, a beautiful area in Calabria that covers an area of 1,715 km² and has a population of around 160,638 inhabitants. This province, located east of the Ionian Sea, borders the province of Cosenza to the northwest and the province of Catanzaro to the southwest. It was established on March 6, 1992, along with the province of Vibo Valentia, by a division of the territory previously included in the province of Catanzaro.
History
The proposal to create a new province, separated from that of Catanzaro, was first made in 1957, but remained unheard until 1989, when a new formal request was presented by twenty-seven mayors. In 1992, the request was finally approved.
Crotone, a Historic City
The city of Crotone boasts an ancient Magna Graecia tradition, as evidenced by its famous archaeological park where the remains of ancient Greek cities are preserved. In recent history, starting from the 1920s, it was the first industrial center of Calabria, specializing mainly in the chemical industry, with the Montedison and Pertusola Sud plants. However, starting from 1993, industrial production has significantly reduced due to the so-called "Enichem Fires" that led to the closure and subsequent dismantling of factories due to strong environmental pollution.
Symbols
The provincial coat of arms has a blue shield in which three gold bands are represented. In the upper left part, the castle of Crotone is depicted in silver on a red background, a symbol of the city. In the upper right part, the five-pointed star of Demeter, the Greek goddess of fertility, is represented in gold on a red background. In the lower part, a red shrimp on a blue background is depicted, referring to the red shrimp fishing in the Ionian Sea.
Geography and Tourism
The province of Crotone is rich in tourist attractions, both on the Ionian Sea coasts and in the mountains. Among the most renowned beach resorts, we highlight Le Castella (Isola di Capo Rizzuto), where the famous castle of Le Castella is located in the middle of the sea, and Punta Alice (Cirò Marina), which regularly receives the Blue Flag for clean sea. Capo Colonna is also a recommended cultural destination.
In the mountains, it is possible to visit the village of Trepidò (Cotronei), where the famous Villaggio Palumbo and Villaggio Pino Grande are located in the Sila. In the Sila territory at the border of the province of Catanzaro, the mountains of Monte Giove, Monte Femminamorta, and part of Monte Gariglione are very important from a botanical and biodiversity point of view. Here there are also two typical mountain villages, Villaggio Fratta and Villaggio Principe.
The Arbëreshë Community
In the province of Crotone, there is also a small Albanian-speaking community, the Arbëreshë community, mainly located in the municipalities of Pallagorio, San Nicola dell'Alto, and Carfizzi. Here the population fluently speaks Arbëreshe, an Albanian dialect, and public offices allow for the dual validity of Albanian and Italian language. It is a unique experience to visit these villages and get to know the culture and tradition of the Arbëreshë community.
In conclusion, the province of Crotone offers a variety of experiences and places to visit. Thanks to its villages, beaches, mountains, and culture, this area of Calabria deserves to be discovered. Come and visit us!
