Catanzaro

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For the football club, see F. C. Catanzaro

Comune di Catanzaro
Municipal coat of arms
Country	Image:Flag of Italy.svg Italy
Region	Calabria
Province	Catanzaro (CZ)
Mayor	Rosario Olivo (since June 2006)

Elevation	342 m
Area	111.3 km²
Population
- Total (as of May 31, 2005)	94,969
- Density	853/km²
Time zone	CET, UTC+1
Coordinates	38°54′N 16°36′E
Gentilic	Catanzaresi
Dialing code	0961
Postal code	88100
Frazioni	Gagliano, Catanzaro Lido, Santa Maria, S. Antonio, Mater Domini, Siano, Bellavista, Sala, S.Janni, Cava, Signorello, Alli, Barone, Germaneto
Patron	St. Vitalianus
- Day	July 16
Website: www.comune.catanzaro.it

Catanzaro is a city in Calabria, Italy, the capital of the province of Catanzaro and also of the region Calabria since 1970.

This town rises on a rock and is split into two parts by the steep Fiumarella valley, the two sections being connected by a huge concrete steel bridge (the Viadotto Morandi), among the highest in Europe, built in 1960 on a design of architect Riccardo Morandi. The beach side neighborhood Catanzaro Lido, located about 5 kilometers south, has a wide promenade and a harbor for small fishing and pleasure boats.

1 History
2 Main sights
3 Notable people
4 External links

[edit] History

There are doubts on the origins of the name. Some say it derived from two Byzantine generals, Kattaro and Zaro, while another theory is that Zaro was the original name of the river (Zarapotamo), so that katà Zaro would mean beyond the river. According to Luigi Settembrini, the name could also be derived by the Greek words kata'- antheros "on the flowery (hills)"

The old town was built over three hills (St. Trifone or St. Rocco Hill; Episcopate's Hill; St. John's Hill) in Byzantine times.

Catanzaro was since the 11th century the lace capital of the world with a large silkworm breeding, it produced all the laces and linens used in the Vatican and supplied merchants that came from all over Europe to buy the silk in the port of Reggio Calabria soon before Pentecost day.

A devastating earthquake in 1783 wiped away churches, palaces and a large part of the population, and a second in 1832 completed the destruction of most ancient historical buildings.