Morandi's single-arch viaduct and the city of the three hills
The capital of the Calabria region, Catanzaro stands on a rocky ridge between two deep valleys, a few kilometres from the Ionian Sea, at the narrowest point of the Italian peninsula, between the gulfs of Squillace and Sant'Eufemia. Known as the "city of the three hills" and the city of the "three V's", for its patron saint San Vitaliano, the velvet (velluto), recalling its ancient and flourishing silk industry, and the wind (vento), which blows constantly between the two seas, it was founded in the Byzantine period and has a historic centre with the Cathedral, the Basilica dell'Immacolata, the church of San Domenico and the Villa Trieste park, with a view over the valleys.
The symbol of modern Catanzaro is the Ponte Bisantis, officially the Viadotto Fiumarella, designed by the famous engineer Riccardo Morandi and opened in 1962: a single reinforced concrete arch with a span of about 231 metres, among the largest in the world at the time, which crosses the deep valley of the Fiumarella at a height of more than 100 metres, connecting the historic centre with the western districts. Elegant and daring, it is considered one of the masterpieces of Italian engineering of the twentieth century. Among the attractions of the city are the MARCA, the museum of contemporary art, and the Parco Internazionale della Scultura, in the Parco della Biodiversità Mediterranea. Not to be missed is the typical dish, the "morzello", a spicy tripe stew served in the "pitta" bread.
Tip: admire the bridge from the belvederes of the historic centre; taste morzello in a traditional trattoria.
Where it is
More things to see in Calabria
Where to stay near Catanzaro
Tours and activities nearby
Offers from GetYourGuide. Some links are affiliate links: if you book we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.