Spezzano della Sila
A natural landscape to discover
Spezzano della Sila is an Italian municipality located in Calabria, at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level. This charming mountain village is immersed in the beautiful landscape of Sila Grande, east of Cosenza. The minimum altitude is 575 meters above sea level, while the maximum reaches 1813 meters at Serra Stella. The area is surrounded by chestnut, conifer and beech forests, making the panorama unforgettable.
The climate of Spezzano della Sila is of the transitional Apennine type, with cold winters and moderately warm summers. Precipitation is abundant from autumn to spring, with the possibility of snowfall in winter months.
A rich history of culture and tradition
The foundation of the first inhabited center dates back to the 9th century, when a group of refugees from Cosenza settled in this area to escape Saracen raids. During the French domination, the population sided with the Bourbons. In 1799 the village became a separate municipality and was included in the canton of Cosenza. Later, in 1927, the two municipalities were merged into a single center called Spezzano della Sila.
The historical center and its artistic heritage
Inside Spezzano della Sila there are numerous neighborhoods that represent the historical and artistic heritage of the village. One of the first inhabited districts is Pedalina, also known as Via S. Biagio, where you can find the church dedicated to the patron saint of the municipality. Here you can visit the oldest and most impressive building that belonged to the Bonifacio family, now owned by the Lecce family.
The district of S. Maria, instead, owes its name to the presence of the church in honor of S. Maria dell'Ulmo, now used as a courthouse. In the district of S. Marco, it is possible to admire the door of Salvatore Lecce, engraved with the date 1557. In the same area, there was the church dedicated to S. Marco, now disappeared.
The urban center
Only in the early 20th century, after the return of emigrants, there was an increase in construction in the urban center of Spezzano della Sila, upstream and downstream of via Roma and Corso Umberto. Subsequently, after the construction of the access road to the railway station, there was a further increase in buildings concentrated in areas known as the new part of the village: Cona or Ventulilla, Spezzanello, Stazione, Gaudenti and Pantana.
Spezzano della Sila is a municipality of about 4,266 inhabitants, where nature and art blend together in a perfect combination. Come and discover this part of Calabria, you will be fascinated by the beauty of the territory and the kindness and hospitality of its inhabitants.
