Things to do in Stignano Italy – what to see attractions and activities

The church of San Zaccaria is the oldest among the churches of Caulonia. Today, only the apse remains of the church with a fresco depicting a “Deesis” or a Byzantine icon in which the blessing Christ is depicted between Our Lady and Saint John.

The Norman castle of Caulonia was inhabited for long years by the Carafa family, princes of Roccella in the 15th century. Following their transfer, the ancient bulwark became the seat of the Castellans until the earthquake of 1783 almost completely destroyed it. Today, only the ruins remain of the castle with the city walls and the city gates.

The Torre dei Cavallari, commonly called Torre Camillari, is one of the 72 towers built by Fabrizio Pignatelli, along the Calabrian coast, to cope with the continuous Saracen raids. At the foot of the sixteenth-century tower, a Greek settlement was recently found, dating from the ceramic finds, to the fifth century BC.

The historic center of Caulonia is absolutely worth a visit as it stands on a rocky spur about 300 meters above sea level and buildings as ancient as modern can be seen. The most characteristic elements are the four medieval doors of the city walls, numerous churches and elegant mansions.

The Catholic is a real jewel of Byzantine art and architecture, a temple among the best preserved; set in the living rock in one of the most beautiful and panoramic points of Stilo.

Porta Allaro, one of the four doors that make up the old city walls of Caulonia, is the smallest and is built of stone and brick. The same is facing the coast on the route of the River Allaro and its mouth.

In the lower part of Piazza Umberto I stands the Matrix Church of Santa Maria Assunta, founded in the Middle Ages and rebuilt during the Renaissance period. The basilical-type plant with three naves has marble elements from the 18th century. Behind the high altar, there is the funerary monument in white marble erected by Vincenzo Carafa in memory of his father Giacomo. The mausoleum, carved in low relief and rich in ornaments, has been declared a national monument.