Amantea
Encyclopedia
Amantea is a town and comune
in the province of Cosenza
in the Calabria
region of southern Italy
.
It is a touristical centre on the southern Tyrrhenian Sea
coast. It had ferry connections to the Eolie Islands, but they have been stopped due to a Police investigation on drug trafficking between Sicily
and Calabria
domination. In 1269 the Amanteani rebelled against the Angevines
in the name of Conradin
of Hohenstaufen
, but were besieged by the French and defeated.
The town is mostly famous for the long resistance of its inhabitants against the French troops
under Joseph Bonaparte
who, in 1806-1807, attempted to conquer its castle.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in the province of Cosenza
Province of Cosenza
The Province of Cosenza is a province in the Calabria region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Cosenza.It has an area of 6,650 km², and a total population of 733,797 . It is the biggest Calabrian Province...
in the Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
region of southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
It is a touristical centre on the southern Tyrrhenian Sea
Tyrrhenian Sea
The Tyrrhenian Sea is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy.-Geography:The sea is bounded by Corsica and Sardinia , Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Basilicata and Calabria and Sicily ....
coast. It had ferry connections to the Eolie Islands, but they have been stopped due to a Police investigation on drug trafficking between Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
History
Amantea appears as a centre of its own in the 7th century, although traces of human presence from pre-historical times onwards have been found in the area. In 839 the Arabs captured it, being ousted by the Byzantines in 889. Later it was under NormanItalo-Norman
The Italo-Normans, or Siculo-Normans when referring to Sicily, were the Italian-born descendants of the first Norman conquerors to travel to the southern Italy in the first half of the eleventh century...
domination. In 1269 the Amanteani rebelled against the Angevines
Capetian House of Anjou
The Capetian House of Anjou, also known as the House of Anjou-Sicily and House of Anjou-Naples, was a royal house and cadet branch of the direct House of Capet. Founded by Charles I of Sicily, a son of Louis VIII of France, the Capetian king first ruled the Kingdom of Sicily during the 13th century...
in the name of Conradin
Conradin
Conrad , called the Younger or the Boy, but usually known by the diminutive Conradin , was the Duke of Swabia , King of Jerusalem , and King of Sicily .-Early childhood:Conradin was born in Wolfstein, Bavaria, to Conrad...
of Hohenstaufen
Hohenstaufen
The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily...
, but were besieged by the French and defeated.
The town is mostly famous for the long resistance of its inhabitants against the French troops
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
under Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte was the elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, who made him King of Naples and Sicily , and later King of Spain...
who, in 1806-1807, attempted to conquer its castle.
Main sights
- The Rocca (Castle). First built by the ByzantinesByzantine EmpireThe Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, it was strengthened by the Arabs. The current cylindrical tower is however to the Norman-HohenstaufenFrederick II, Holy Roman EmperorFrederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
age. It was long besieged by Charles of Anjou's troops in 1269. It was nearly destroyed during the French siege in 1806-1807. It is now a public structure, but is abandoned. - Church of San Bernardino.
- Palazzo delle Clarisse (17th century).
- Palazzo Mirabelli (17th century).
- U Turriune (large tower, 14th century) at Campora San GiovanniCampora San GiovanniCampora San Giovanni is a frazione of the comune of Amantea, in the province of Cosenza, Calabria, Italy, situated close to the border with the province of Catanzaro.- Geography :Campora San Giovanni overlooks the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea...
. - Archaeological findings in the area of Campora San Giovanni.