Page 527 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

BASILIC A T A AND C ALABRIA  525

q Reggio di
Calabria
* 183,000. k V @ g
n Station. ( Fri.
∑ turismo.reggiocal.it
One reason to visit Reggio di
Calabria, which was heavily
rebuilt after a major earthquake
in 1908, is the Museo Nazionale
della Magna Grecia. It houses
a fine collection of artifacts
from ancient Rhegion – a
Greek city on the site of the
present town – and from other
Greek sites.
Chief among its treasures are
the Greek bronzes, larger­than­
life statues of warriors dredged
from the sea off Riace Marina
in 1972. Statue A (460 BC) is
thought to be by Phidias, the
Athenian sculptor and chief
exponent of the idealizing,
Classical style. If true, it is a rare
survivor, because his works
were hitherto only known to us
from Roman copies. Statue B
The distinctive five-domed Cattolica in Stilo (430 BC) has been attributed
to Polyclitus. It is possible that
0 Gerace Epizephiri. At the end of Via the statues origi nated from
Cavour is 12th­century San an Athenian shrine at Delphi
Reggio di Calabria. * 3,000. @
n Pro Loco, Via Regina Margherita Giovanello, part Byzantine and built to celebrate the victory
77, Locri (0964 23 27 60). part Norman. Nearby is the of Marathon.
∑ comune.gerace.rc.it Gothic church of San Francesco
d’Assisi, which contains a E Museo Nazionale della
Occupying a crag on the north­ Baroque marble altar (1615) and Magna Grecia
eastern flank of the Aspromonte, the Pisan­style tomb of Niccolò Piazza de Nava 26. Tel 0965 81 22 55.
Gerace was founded by refugees Ruffo (died 1372), a member of Open 9am–7:30pm Tue–Sun.
from Locri Epizephiri who fled in a prominent Calabrian family. & 8 7
the 9th century to escape
Saracen attack. Its defensive Environs
character is reinforced by the The vast site of Locri Epizephiri,
medieval town walls and the the first Greek city to have a
remains of the castle. written code of law (660 BC), was
Apart from the slow pace of a famous centre of the cult of
life here – where you are as Perse phone. There are remains
likely to meet a flock of sheep in of temples, a theatre and
an alley as a Fiat 500 – the main Greek and Roman tombs. The
attraction is Calabria’s grandest Museo Nazionale displays a
Duomo. This large structure ground plan of the site, as
indicates the significance of well as Greek and Roman
Gerace at least up to the time votive statues, coins and
of the Normans. Constructed sculptural fragments.
around the early 12th century,
rebuilt in the 13th century and T Locri Epizephiri
restored in the 18th century, the Southwest of Locri on the SS 106,
crypt is its chief treasure. Both Contrada Marasà. Open 9am–7pm
crypt and church are simple, Tue–Sun. ∑ locriantica.it
adorned by a series of antique E Museo Nazionale
coloured marble and granite Contrada Marasà, SS 106.
columns probably stolen from Tel 0964 39 00 23. Open Tue–Sun. Riace bronzes (6th and 5th century BC) in
the site of ancient Locri Closed 1 May, 25 Dec. Reggio’s Museo Nazionale

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