| Cerchiara di Calabria | ||
|---|---|---|
| Comune | ||
| Comune di Cerchiara di Calabria | ||
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  Cerchiara di Calabria Location of Cerchiara di Calabria in Italy | ||
| Coordinates: 39°51′N16°23′E / 39.850°N 16.383°E | ||
| Country | Italy | |
| Region | Calabria | |
| Province | Cosenza (CS) | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Antonio Carlomagno | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 81 km2 (31 sq mi) | |
| Population (30 June 2012) [1] | ||
| • Total | 2,447 | |
| • Density | 30/km2 (78/sq mi) | |
| Demonym(s) | Cerchiaresi | |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
| Postal code | 87070 | |
| Dialing code | 0981 | |
| Patron saint | St. Boniface | |
| Website | Official website | |
Cerchiara di Calabria is a town and comune in the province of Cosenza, part of the Calabria region of southern Italy.
The comune is a basic administrative division in Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality.
The province of Cosenza is a province in the Calabria region of Italy. Its provincial capital is the city of Cosenza. It contains 155 comuni (comune), listed at comunes of the Province of Cosenza.
Calabria, known in antiquity as Bruttium, is a region in Southern Italy.
Located in the Pollino National Park, Cercharia occupies the ancient site of Arponium in Magna Graecia, later known as Circlarium. During the Norman period it was part of the lands of the Clermont (Chiaramonte) family, when most of the Byzantine institutions were reformed in the Latin rite.
Pollino National Park is a national park in southern Italy that straddles the regions of Basilicata and Calabria. It is Italy's largest national park, covering 1,925.65 square kilometers.
Magna Graecia was the name given by the Romans to the coastal areas of Southern Italy in the present-day regions of Campania, Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily; these regions were extensively populated by Greek settlers, particularly the Achaean settlements of Croton, and Sybaris, and to the north, the settlements of Cumae and Neapolis. The settlers who began arriving in the 8th century BC brought with them their Hellenic civilization, which was to leave a lasting imprint on Italy, such as in the culture of ancient Rome. Most notably the Roman poet Ovid referred to the south of Italy as Magna Graecia in his poem Fasti.
The town's main attraction is the Sanctuary of S. Maria delle Armi. The cells of hermit monks of Greek origin on Monte Sellario were already established by the 10th century. In the mid-15th century a cult developed in connection with ancient Byzantine icons. The small chapel shrine excavated in the rock was enlarged in the early 16th century under the patronage of Pietro Antonio Sanseverino. In following eras a hospice for pilgrims was added and the palace of the Pignatelli di Cerchiara family. The resulting church is made asymmetrical by its position against the cliff face.
