Bisignano
Encyclopedia
Bisignano is a town and comune
in the province of Cosenza
, part of in the Calabria
region of southern Italy
. It is situated on hills in the Crati valley, between the Pollino
and Sila National Park
s .
In 1054 Bisignano was an independent municipality. It became the residence of a Norman count and later a fief of the Orsini family
. In 1641 it became a fief of the Sanseverino family until 1806.
According to Henry Yule
, Giovanni de Marignolli, famous for his account of travels in China, was made bishop of Bisignano in 1354. "The bishop, however, seems to have been in no hurry to reside there; thinking perhaps that a man who had spent so many years of his life in travelling to Cathay and back, might be excused from passing the whole of those that remained to him in the wilds of Calabria."
In 1467 Albanian leader Skanderbeg
's daughter, wife of the Prince of Bisignano, invited many Albanian families who established various colonies, spoke their own language, and used the Greek Rite. Skanderbeg had previously helped King Ferdinand I of Naples end a French-supported insurrection and been rewarded with the grant of land in Puglia. An alternative version maintains that it was Skanderbeg's niece Irene Castriota, Duchess of San Pietro di Galatina and wife of Pietro Antonio Sanseverino, Prince of Bisignano, who invited Albanians to settle in the area. This was one of the origins of Calabria's Italo-Albanian Arbëreshë
community.
Luca Antonio Pirozzo, better known as St. Humilis of Bisignano
(1582–1637), was a Franciscan monk born in Bisignano.
The growing of olives destined to make DOP olive oil is important in the Crati valley. Greenhouse farming, holiday farms and the breeding of thoroughbred horses are also major activities.
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...
, part of 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 situated on hills in the Crati valley, between the Pollino
Pollino National Park
The Pollino National Park is a national park in Basilicata and Calabria, southern Italy. Comprised within the provinces of Cosenza, Matera and Potenza, with its 1,820 square kilometres it is the largest natural park in the country...
and Sila National Park
Sila National Park
Sila National Park was established in 1997 and covers about 74,000 ha of charming and wild areas in Calabria. Besides offering exciting landscapes stretching out towards Pollino, Aspromonte, Etna, the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Sea, it is also characterized by the presence of several rural and tourist...
s .
History
Bisignano is the ancient Besidiae recorded by Livy, subsequently Besidianum and Bisidianum, whose founding archaeological remains date back to the 15th/14th century B.C..In 1054 Bisignano was an independent municipality. It became the residence of a Norman count and later a fief of the Orsini family
Orsini family
Orsini: the origin of learning.We love Mrs. Orsini forever! ~8F Social Studies 2011The Orsini family is an Italian noble family; it was one of the most influential princely families in medieval Italy and renaissance Rome...
. In 1641 it became a fief of the Sanseverino family until 1806.
According to Henry Yule
Henry Yule
Sir Henry Yule was a Scottish Orientalist.He was born at Inveresk, Scotland, near Edinburgh, the son of Major William Yule , translator of the Apothegms of Ali. Henry Yule was educated at Edinburgh, Addiscombe, and Chatham, and joined the Bengal Engineers in 1840...
, Giovanni de Marignolli, famous for his account of travels in China, was made bishop of Bisignano in 1354. "The bishop, however, seems to have been in no hurry to reside there; thinking perhaps that a man who had spent so many years of his life in travelling to Cathay and back, might be excused from passing the whole of those that remained to him in the wilds of Calabria."
In 1467 Albanian leader Skanderbeg
Skanderbeg
George Kastrioti Skanderbeg or Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu , widely known as Skanderbeg , was a 15th-century Albanian lord. He was appointed as the governor of the Sanjak of Dibra by the Ottomans in 1440...
's daughter, wife of the Prince of Bisignano, invited many Albanian families who established various colonies, spoke their own language, and used the Greek Rite. Skanderbeg had previously helped King Ferdinand I of Naples end a French-supported insurrection and been rewarded with the grant of land in Puglia. An alternative version maintains that it was Skanderbeg's niece Irene Castriota, Duchess of San Pietro di Galatina and wife of Pietro Antonio Sanseverino, Prince of Bisignano, who invited Albanians to settle in the area. This was one of the origins of Calabria's Italo-Albanian Arbëreshë
Arbëreshë
The Arbëreshë are a linguistic and ethnic Albanian minority community living in southern Italy, especially the regions of Apulia, Basilicata, Molise, Calabria and Sicily...
community.
Luca Antonio Pirozzo, better known as St. Humilis of Bisignano
Humilis of Bisignano
Saint Humilis de Bisignano a Franciscan, is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church.-External links:* at Patron Saints Index* – a biography on the Vatican website...
(1582–1637), was a Franciscan monk born in Bisignano.
Main sights
- Riforma Convent (founded in 1222), containing a wooden Crucifixion sculpted by Frate Umile da Petralia (1637), a statue of the Madonna of the Graces in marble attributed to the school of Domenico GaginiDomenico GaginiDomenico Gagini was an Italian sculptor. He was the son of Pietro Gagini. The Gagini were a family of sculptors and painters working during the Middle Ages and Renaissance...
and a painting of Saint Daniel attributed to Luca GiordanoLuca GiordanoLuca Giordano was an Italian late Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Fluent and decorative, he worked successfully in Naples and Rome, Florence and Venice, before spending a decade in Spain....
. - Palazzo Gallo, built in the early 17th century, notable for its wrought ironwork.
- Church of San Domenico, former convent founded in 1475, destroyed in the 1887 earthquake and rebuilt in the [Romanesque]-[Gothic] style.
- Palazzo Sanseverino, residence of the princely SanseverinoSanseverinoSanseverino is a surname, and may refer to:* Roscemanno Sanseverino, 12th century cardinal* Ferdinando Sanseverino , prince of Salerno and Italian condottiero* Gaetano Sanseverino , Italian theologian...
family. - Cathedral: destroyed in the earthquake and rebuilt, retains the arch of the Gothic door and a Gothic portal.
- Museo del Cavallo (Museum of the Horse) designed by Marcello GuidoMarcello GuidoMarcello Guido is an Italian deconstructivist architect.Born in Acri, he is based in Cosenza, Calabria.He trained as an architect at the Faculty of Architecture of La Sapienza University, Rome. He is a student of Bruno Zevi...
is an example of the deconstructivist school of modern architecture
Economy
Apart from the famous string instruments and pottery handicraft traditions, the main area of activity is agriculture. "At Bisignano they make the earth sparkle and wood play". Agriculture has prospered in the fertile valleys of the area. The town and the other four municipalities of the Calabrian district specialise in the cultivation and production of cereals, pasta, vegetables, fruit (citrons, bergamot oranges, oranges, clementine tangerines, lemons, grapefruit), savoury goat and sheep’s milk cheeses (Caciocavallo silano in particular), hot red peppers, fine extra-virgin olive oil of medium-high quality (various types: slightly fruity, aromatised, organic and the more famous Bruzio DOP), robust and delicate wines (Donnici in particular) and sweets.The growing of olives destined to make DOP olive oil is important in the Crati valley. Greenhouse farming, holiday farms and the breeding of thoroughbred horses are also major activities.