CERCHIARA di CALABRIA: a eagle on the slopes of Pollino

Dear readers of magnific places of Calabria, I'll tell you about a village born for protect itself from saracens raids in the end of IX century a.C. (last byzantine period).

Cerchiara Calabra founded of controlling the route connecting the Piana of Sibari to Basilicata/Puglia (regions to the north).

the images above show its perching at the foot of the Pollino National Park.

HISTORY - Cerchiara is the heir of an greek ancient city situate in the plain belowe, in the X century a.C. its inhabitants also the coastal people fled to the entire territory and founded several little town on the heights, including Cerchiara.

In its territory since the IX century a.C. the Basilian monks living in grottoes based on hermitage.

OLD TOWN

REMEBER: Cerchiara was situated near important lombard gastaldato of Cassano, so, the Lombards  (VII-VIII century) on its site built a fortification system that dominated the Plan of Sibari and controlling passageways.

ruins of castle built in the XIV century on a previous lombard-norman fortress

(foto by mapio)

Cerchiara di Calabria is famous for Sanctuary Madonna delle armi:

built in the XV century, but founded in bizantinian age on a pre-exting a basilian cave already documented in the X century a.C., remember that on the its territory there are most cave of the basilian monks.

OTHER IMAGES OF SANCTUARY

panoramic view of the Plan of Sibari

That's a breathtaking view😀

Dott. Giuseppe Lombardo