Reggio di Calabria

Overview

Reggio Calabria , located on the toe of the Italian boot, and is the capital of the province of Reggio Calabria . It was once the capital of the southern region of Calabria, until 1970 when this became Catanzaro . It has about 180,000 inhabitants, and is also known as Reggio di Calabria .

Founded as Rhegion by Greek settlers in the 8th century BC , the city was devastated by several major earthquakes and associated tsunami . It was later called Rhegium and became part of the Kingdom of Sicily ( 12th century ) and the Kingdom of Naples ( 13th century ). Reggio di Calabria is known as the location of the first dated Hebrew book, a Rashi commentary on the Pentateuch printed in 1475.

Reggio di Calabria is located on the Strait of Messina on the other side of which lies the Sicilian city of Messina . The two cities are closely connected, being 20 minutes apart by ferry . At the Naional Museum you will see the Bronzi di Riace,  incredible ancient statues recently discovered off the coast of Riace.

Reggio Calabria was the hometown of Gianni Versace , where his family were tailors.

History