Vibo Valentia: Archaeology, Church Art and Panoramic Views

Greek and Roman History

The Museo Archeologico Statale “Vito Capialbi” traces the history of Vibo Valentia from the Locrian colony of Hipponion to the Roman colony of Valentia. The two names mark different historical periods: Hipponion represents its Greek past, while Valentia reflects the Roman era. The city’s story thus runs from its origins as a colony to its later Roman character.

The municipal archaeological park protects and enhances monumental remains from the Greek and Roman periods. One specific walking route at Trappeto Vecchio runs for at least 500 metres alongside the remains of Greek defensive walls. These include towers and small gates. The park route also takes in the remains of a Doric temple at Belvedere Telegrafo, built at the end of the 5th century BC. The fortifications and temple thus represent different aspects of the Greek past: military architecture and sacred building art.

At Sant’Aloe, the Terme e domus romane di Vibonia comprise a Roman thermal complex dating from the 2nd century AD and several domus. One of them features a peristyle, an inner courtyard surrounded by columns. The thermal complex and houses illustrate different forms of Roman building culture; the peristyle adds a specific architectural detail to this perspective.

Churches, Art and Architecture

The Chiesa di San Giuseppe was commissioned by the Jesuits, built to a design by Francesco Grimaldi and opened for worship in 1701. Its furnishings include, among other things, the painting La visione di Sant’Ignazio and a wooden group of figures depicting San Giuseppe on the main altar. The commission, architect and opening year give the church a clearly defined building history; its artworks add specific examples of its furnishings.

The Duomo, the Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore e San Leoluca, contains artworks from different centuries: an 18th-century polychrome marble altar frontal by Francesco Raguzzini, a fully sculpted Madonna della Neve from the 16th century attributed to Annibale Caccavello, and a Renaissance marble triptych by Gagini. At the Santuario di S. Ruba, a different architectural feature is associated with an early date: the church was built around the year 1000 by Pope Callixtus II and has an oriental-style dome.

The Castello Normanno-Svevo can also be described through specific architectural features. Its west façade has two cylindrical towers and a hexagonal tower. Their shapes offer a distinctive architectural point of interest alongside the religious buildings and archaeological remains.

Maritime History and Distinctive Collections

The Tonnara di Bivona is a 19th-century building associated with tuna fishing and considered an example of maritime industrial archaeology. Boats and nets were stored in the loggia, while activities to prepare the tuna trap took place outside. The different functions of these areas also make the site’s history understandable through its use.

The Palazzo Capialbi houses Roman glassware, Greek bronze figurines and medieval finds. It also contains an autograph manuscript by Giacomo Leopardi featuring his poem L’infinito. The collection thus ranges from archaeological artefacts to a piece of literary history. Together, the buildings and objects offer different ways to explore the past: through architecture, former uses, and individual works of art and writing.

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See the main travel overview: Vibo Valentia.