Santa Severina

The territory of Santa Severina during the Bronze and Iron Age, was inhabited by indigenous peoples belonging perhaps to the strain of Enotri. Anciently note perhaps as Siberene, after being presumably a Greek village-Italico and then Roman, until 1076 it belonged to the Byzantines. It was later ruled by the Normans and Swabians. In fact, on the basis of the Statutum de reparatione castrorum, Federico II conducted an investigation in 1228 to identify the institutions, bodies or persons who were obliged to contribute to the repair of the Castle of Santa Severina. The construction of the castle dates back to the era of the Norman domination (XI century) on a pre-existing fortification of the Byzantine era. The Byzantine construction is known as "oppidum beatae Severinae". In the Swabian era, the castellan of Santa Severina was called Johannes de Ladda. Of notable interest are the remains of a Byzantine church (with frescoed walls) and of a necropolis of the same historical period. In the castle is the seat of the Archaeological Museum and can be visited some archaeological areas (caves, necropolis, Byzantine church, Foundation Norman tower etc.). The baptistery is the only received to our days still substantially intact. The architecture of this jewel derives from the buildings with a central plan that find reference in the Mausoleo di Santa Costanza in Rome. The Byzantine baptistery has, in fact, a circular shape with four tabs, with frescoes dating back to the X-XII century the cathedral has a plant in the form of a latin cross with three naves. Dating back to the XIII century, it too has undergone various changes in the course of its history, much is that of the ancient structure remained only the portal, but the most substantial was that of the XVII century. After the 1100 rose in the hamlet of Altilia the Marian shrine of reference for the whole of Calabria. Originally supported by the Normans, was placed under the direct protection of the Emperor Frederick II of Swabia.