Spezzano Albanese
Spezzano Albanese: an Italian-Albanian town in Calabria
Spezzano Albanese is a municipality in the province of Cosenza in Calabria, with a population of around 7,000 inhabitants. The town is characterized by its Italian-Albanian ethnicity, culture, and language, as it is one of the largest Albanian communities in Italy.
A protected community
The Albanian language of Spezzano Albanese is protected by Italian legislation, as the town is part of the linguistic minorities. The local administration also uses Albanian in official documents.
The physical geography of Spezzano Albanese
Located on a hill at about 320 m, the town overlooks the plain of Sibari and the Esaro valley, with a view of the Pollino massif. The municipality borders Terranova da Sibari, San Lorenzo del Vallo, Tarsia, Cassano all'Ionio, Castrovillari, and Corigliano-Rossano.
Infrastructure and transportation
Spezzano Albanese is crossed by a railway and three roads, two of which are of great importance. The town is connected to the A2 Mediterranean motorway via the Firmo/Sibari/Saracena, Tarsia nord/Spezzano Albanese, and Tarsia junctions. Furthermore, there is the SS534 of Cammarata and degli Stombi, with junctions on the state road 283 of Terme Luigiane and on the SP241 Castrovillari/Spezzano Albanese. There are some bus connections to Castrovillari and Spezzano Albanese - Terranova da Sibari.
The history of Spezzano Albanese
In 1470, the first Albanian groups arrived in Calabria in search of safety after the fall of their homeland under the Ottoman Empire. Later, numerous Albanian families moved to Spezzano Albanese, where the Reformers of San Lorenzo del Vallo welcomed them. The town was founded between 1470 and 1479 by twenty-five Albanian families who settled near "Pozzo" (arb. Pusi) and "Colombro" (arb. Kullumbri), while others settled in the nearby abandoned settlement of "Casale de Sanctu Laurenctu" (today San Lorenzo del Vallo). It is very likely that the Albanians built a church dedicated to St. Nicholas between 1479 and 1529 to celebrate their functions according to the Greek-Byzantine rite.
In conclusion, Spezzano Albanese is a town rich in Italian-Albanian history and culture, protected by Italian legislation. The city is characterized by a strategic geographical position and various infrastructures and means of transportation that make it easily accessible.
