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THE HISTORY OF PIZZO
Pizzo is one of the most beautiful town of Costa degli Dei, known for the production of ice cream truffles and for the historic ice cream making tradition, so much that it is called “the city of ice cream”
There is certain data of the existence of a fort and a village starting from 1300 and of a community of Basilian monks, while traces remain in the territory of only an ancient fishing activity, especially of tuna.
The name Pizzo = protruding point; fits perfectly to the tufaceous promontory that extendes over the sea, rising from the mouth of the Angitola river, up to the Marina beach, where the small Aragonese fort from the 15th century stands and is today called Castello Murat, due to the events that took place on October 13,1815.
Piedigrotta Church
It is a small church entirely dug into the tuff rocks, located on the beach of Pizzo Calabro, where inside there are several tuff sculptures.
According to the legend, in 1600 a sailing ship sailing the Calabrian waters found itself in the middle of a storm, the terrified sailors on board made a vow to Maria SS di Piedigrotta whose painting was in the captain's cabin, promising to build a votive chapel where they would touch down in case of salvation. The ship sank against the rocks and fell into pieces while the painting of the Madonna was saved and was found intact on the beach.
The sailors, faithful to their promise, dug a hole in the rock and placed the painting there, promising to return to finish the chapel, but the local fishermen, fearing that the painting could be stolen, took it to a nearby cave where they built a small altar.
The cave was subsequently enlarged between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century by Angelo Barone who, fascinated by the fishermen's stories, created the evocative church, and continued by his son Alfonso Barone who restored the existing statues and sculpted two medallions depicting Pope John XXIII and John Kennedy.
Aragonese Castle
The Aragonese Castle was built in 1492 by Ferrante of Aragon and is the place where Gioacchino Murat was held prisoner and later sentenced to death.
Gioacchino Murat, king of Naples and brother-in-law of Napoleon Bonaparte, was shot on 13 October 1815, after a few days of imprisonment and a trial held in the main hall of the castle, he was then buried in the church of San Giorgio.
The castle now called Castello Murat is used as a museum and houses historical testimonies and reconstructions of these tragic events.
San Giorgio Cathedral
Main church of Pizzo, with the baroque style, is located in the historic center and dates back to the 16th century.
The building is consecrated to San Giorgio Martire and the Virgin Mary, as engraved on the architrave of the baroque portal dating back to 1632.
Funeral plaque of Gioacchino Murat buried in the basement of the church where he was put after his death by firing squad in the local castle.
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Giancarlo Cavallaro
+ 39 3475529839
