Soriano Calabro: Monasteries, Museums and Mostaccioli
Accommodation in Soriano Calabro
Soriano Calabro lies on a slope of the Serre facing the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Cammino del Normanno reaches the town along a route surrounded by narrow sandstone gorges and chestnut forests. A tourist circuit presents Soriano as a destination for exploring the mysterious places of worship in the Serre Calabresi and places the Convento di San Domenico at its centre. The landscape, religious history and regional culture thus provide a clear framework for planning your trip.
File:Sala del consiglio comunale di Soriano Calabro.jpg
Photo: Marcuscalabresus via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Monastery, Churches and Collections
The Convento di San Domenico includes an adjoining section of Norman origin; it was founded in 1510 by Brother Vincenzo da Catanzaro. The Basilica Santuario San Domenico di Soriano was built in 1838 on the ruins of the old monastery. The Museo Convento di S. Domenico preserves fragments of statues, bas-reliefs, capitals and columns dating from the late 16th to the late 18th century; its library preserves incunabula and books from the 16th century. The history of the monastery and town – shaped by destruction, abandonment and repeated rebuilding – provides the thematic focus of the Polo Museale di Soriano.
Marble, Earthquakes and Sacred Art
The MuMar brings together surviving marble works associated with the 1783 earthquake in chronological order; the MuTerr covers 2,000 square metres. The collection of the MuMar Museo dei Marmi includes an alabaster marble bust of Saint Dominic attributed to Giuliano Finelli, a pupil and collaborator of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The Museo del Terremoto addresses earthquake safety in Calabria, as well as earthquakes and tsunamis from geological, seismological, historical and cultural perspectives. The Museo dei Marmi was established in restored former rooms of the refectory and kitchen of the monastery complex. The Museo d’Arte Sacra – Pinacoteca is located in the historic centre, in the monumental area of the old Convento di San Domenico, and displays around 40 works, including pieces by Mattia Preti, Polidoro da Caravaggio and Luca Giordano.
Ceramics and Local Crafts
The Museo Territoriale della Ceramica di Soriano displays ceramic finds dating from the early Middle Ages through the Renaissance and modern era to the present day. From the 15th century onwards, Soriano became a leading centre of ceramic production, with a market extending beyond the provincial borders. The Seggiari make chairs with woven straw seats and carved backrests.
Sacred Architecture and Library
Places of worship include the Chiesa San Martino Vescovo, built in 1930 on the ruins of an older church that was severely damaged by the 1908 earthquake, and the Chiesa di San Francesco di Paola. The latter was built at the beginning of the 17th century as a chapel for the brotherhood dedicated to Saint Francis of Paola; it has a rectangular floor plan, a single-nave layout and a pitched roof. The Chiesa della Madonna del Carmine was built at the end of the 19th century by builders and architects from Soriano. Religious customs take place among the ruins of the old church at Easter and during the feast of Saint Martin. The Biblioteca Calabrese is housed in the Palazzetto della Cultura, a building constructed in the Liberty style at the beginning of the 20th century.
Mostaccioli from Soriano
Mostaccioli from Soriano Calabro are traditional sweets typical of Soriano, with votive and ritual origins. They are made from water, local honey and flour; three parts honey are used for one part water. The dough is shaped by hand and worked with special knives on wooden or marble tables.
Other places for planning your trip: San Calogero, San Costantino Calabro, Nicotera Marina, Rombiolo, Limbadi, Torre Marino, Acquaro and Simbario
For the overview of the wider area: Vibo Valentia.
