Crosia between Coast and History

Crosia between Coast and History

If you would like to combine coastal landscapes and a town’s living history during your trip to Italy, Crosia offers various points of connection. Mirto is a coastal town in the Alto Ionio Cosentino area. The coast has a broad beach of light sand, which in places is characterised by pebbles and rocks. This creates a landscape that goes beyond a uniform sandy beach and also shows natural transitions between sand, stone and rock.

Mirto: Castles and Historic Traces

In the district of Mirto, the Castello Feudale di Mirto is a particularly multifaceted historic site. It is a masseria on the hill above the Mirto district and was the centre of the extensive fiefdom of Crosia. The Castello was built at the beginning of the 17th century by Baron Giovan Michele Mandatoriccio on an already existing Norman structure. During your visit, this therefore combines its classification as the former centre of a fiefdom with the fact that the Castello was built on an already existing Norman structure.

The historic architecture also includes the Torre di S. Tecla in Contrada Fiumarella. It dates from the 16th century and belongs to Crosia’s defensive tower system. Another facet of earlier life is Il Càsino della Vota. This was an old, self-sufficient masseria belonging to Crosia’s noble families, which served as a winter residence. Both sites broaden the perspective from individual buildings to protection, rule and agriculturally shaped forms of residence.

Sacred Sites with Their Own History

The Santuario della Madonna della Pietà di Crosia is Romanesque in design and has three intricately crafted plaster altars in the style of the 16th century. Its history is closely connected with the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin. On 23 May 1987, the situation of the old chapel, which had not yet been consecrated at that time, changed. The Santuario is located on the outskirts of the town along the provincial road connecting the SS 531 with Crosia.

The Parrocchia “Divino Cuore di Gesù” in Mirto also bears several layers of history. It was blessed on 10 April 1960, Palm Sunday, by Monsignor Giovanni Rizzo, the Archbishop of Rossano. During a later comprehensive renovation, it was equipped with valuable mosaics and figurative stained-glass windows. Access to the Parrocchia is barrier-free, providing practical guidance for visitors with different mobility needs.

A Historic Centre as an Event Venue

“A Remurata” is also associated with a traditional event in the historic centre of Crosia. It included a guided tour through the streets of Crosia and had already been held for the thirteenth time. As a historic event format, this tour makes the streets and the town centre themselves the subject of exploration. This aspect may be particularly interesting for your travel planning if you would like to discover not only individual sights but also the town’s inherited structure.

For your further travel planning, you can also find Montalto Uffugo, Amantea, Fagnano Castello, Carolei, San Lorenzo Bellizzi, Lungro, La Bruca and Altomonte.

For the overarching travel overview: Cosenza.