San Demetrio Corone
Welcome to San Demetrio Corone
Hello everyone! Today we will talk about San Demetrio Corone, a municipality in the province of Cosenza in Calabria, Italy. It is a charming town, located on the hill that goes from the Sibari plain towards the Greek Sila. With an altitude of 521 meters above sea level, it enjoys a splendid panorama of the lower valley of the Crati and the Pollino Massif.
But this city is not only beautiful to see, it is also a very important cultural center for the Arbëreshë community. It preserves the Arbëreshë language, the Byzantine rite, the customs and the culture of its origin. Here is the "Italian-Albanian College of Sant'Adriano", a religious and cultural body that keeps the Albanian traditions alive. It is part of the district of the Italo-Albanian Church of the Eparchy of Lungro.
In addition, in the fraction of Macchia Albanese, Girolamo De Rada, the father of modern Albanian literature was born. And for years, the music, singing and new sounds of the Albanians in Italy have been celebrated here in the "Festival of Arbëreshë Song".
The physical geography of San Demetrio Corone
The territory of San Demetrio Corone is characterized by a complex and developed hydrographic network. There are the Galatrella stream and the Mizofato and Muzzolito streams, almost all affluents of the Crati river. In the highest part of the territory, there are the chestnut forests of Buttorino, Castagna Rotonda and Poggio, while in the northern area, which slopes towards the Plain of Sibari, there are plateaus and terraces interspersed with numerous streams and erosive furrows.
In total, the territory of San Demetrio Corone is 7500 hectares and offers a spectacular view of the Massiccio del Pollino range.
The history of San Demetrio Corone
San Demetrio Corone was built in the fifteenth century by Albanian exiles forced into exile by Ottoman rule in the Balkans. Its founders arrived from Albania in 1471 and were followed by the second diaspora of the Arvanites and the Greeks coming from the city of Corone in Morea between 1532 and 1534.
The city was built near the ancient oratory of Sant'Adriano, where in the tenth century Nilo da Rossano had taken refuge to pray. There were already settlements of eastern monks (VII century) present before. The original name in Latin was ''Situ Sancti Dimitri'', but the inhabitants had always called it ''katundi i Shën Mitrit''.
Conclusion
San Demetrio Corone is a city rich in history and culture, which keeps the Albanian traditions alive. The panoramic view of the Crati valley and the Massiccio del Pollino range is splendid, and in the surrounding area there are chestnut forests and plateaus. It is a perfect place for those who love nature and culture. We therefore invite you to visit San Demetrio Corone and discover this Calabrian treasure!
