Vaccarizzo – Churches, History and Mountain Landscape

Vaccarizzo between a Mountain Setting and a Historic Village Center

Vaccarizzo lies at an altitude of 459 meters in a panoramic location at the foot of Monte Cozzo Cervello. In the historic town center, the lanes and spacious squares are among the sights.

Churches, Portals and a Former Craft Tradition

The Chiesa di San Francesco features a simple façade. A staircase built along the main façade leads to the stone portal. The Chiesa di San Rocco is located in the outskirts of Vaccarizzo. Its stone entrance portal has a pointed arch and a rectangular frame. Inside, the church preserves numerous wooden structures of considerable artistic and historical value. During a stay with an interest in architecture, the two churches offer different details to observe: the restrained façade and entrance in one case, and the portal and interior in the other.

Vaccarizzo is also home to an old silk manufactory where silk was formerly produced and subsequently sold. The Chiesa della Visitazione di Maria Santissima is the parish church of Vaccarizzo di Montalto Uffugo as well as of Parantoro, Santa Maria La Castagna, Caldopiano and Commicelle. References to the now-united parishes of Santa Maria La Castagna and Vaccarizzo have been preserved in the Relationes ad Limina of 1600.

Waldensian Routes and Regional Hiking Connections

Vaccarizzo di Montalto belongs to the historic network of the Cammino Calabro Valdese, a hiking trail for exploring the cultural, economic and social heritage of the Waldensians in Calabria. In the wider regional area around Vaccarizzo, the mountain trail from Paola to Montalto runs through the area; it is called Sentiero del Pellegrino. Those who enjoy combining cultural topics with physical activity can therefore experience Vaccarizzo both through the Waldensian-history-oriented trail network and via the regional mountain trail. The two connections emphasize different aspects, but both remain linked to the history and landscape of Calabria.

Jewish and Occitan Traces

Between the 13th and 14th centuries, a Jewish colony settled in Vaccarizzo, whose members presumably contributed to the development of trade. In the 14th century, Occitans arrived in Vaccarizzo and remained there until the persecution in the second half of the 16th century. The history of the town thus encompasses both the Jewish colony and the Occitan settlement and its subsequent persecution. These chronological connections offer visitors interested in culture several starting points for exploring the town.

A Local Connection to Cuisine

The local cuisine also has a specific point of reference: Maccarruni are reportedly prepared almost daily at Bar di Maria in Vaccarizzo. This culinary connection complements the churches, squares and historical themes with an insight into everyday life in the town.

Other places in the same regional context: Mormanno, Morano Calabro, Cassano Allo Ionio, Spezzano Della Sila, Cosenza, Rose, Diamante, Terranova Da Sibari.

To the higher-level travel overview: Cosenza.