Stilo, the birthplace of Tommaso Campanella, is particularly fascinating and mysterious. The hamlet, sitting on the slopes of Mount Consolino, is famous for the 10th-century Greek-Byzantine temple, one of Calabria’s most symbolic monuments. The church followed the theme of the Greek cross positioning the five domes in a cylindrical form covered in clay bricks. It is a perfect example of Eastern art in Calabria. Inside, four columns hold up the vaults attached to the ceiling. There are many precious frescoes, like the one of the Virgin, the Angel of the Annunciation, St. Nicholas, St. Basilio, and St. John Crisostomus.
Worth a visit are the churches of St. John, St. Dominic and St. Francis, the Cathedral and the remains of the Norman Castle (1071), which stands at the top of Mount Consolino.
In the area around Stilo there are many natural caves used by Basilian monks and the Hermitage of Mount Stella, where the silence and views are an invitation to meditation.
In the area near Bivongi, which is well-known for its wine, there is the Byzantine church of St. Giovanni Vecchio, which dates to the X century, officiated by Greek monks. |
