I PARCHI LETTERARI® IN CALABRIA “JOURNEYS TO THE FUTURE OF MEMORY” - I PARCHI LETTERARI IN SILA: LARGE SILA

The Abbot’s Sila: “Gioacchino da Fiore”
Historic-tourist-cultural itinerary in search of Abbot Gioacchino

There are many places that can be directly and indirectly defined as “gioachimite”, which are in large part included in the territory of the Mountain Community of Sila.

Among the most important, besides Celico, Giocchino’s birthplace, are San Giovanni in Fiore, where Gioacchino is buried and where a particular interest for this figure has given rise to the foundation of an International Centre for Gioachimiti Studies in this city, which is now famous the world over.
Here, the Saracens forced the inhabitants of the Calabria’s Tyrrhenian coast to take refuge in the mountains of Sila and the first settlement of peasant families that built their homes around the Abbey probably began to take shape from 1189 onward. In fact, in that year, Abbot Gioacchino da Fiore built the “Albaneto” hospice at the confluence of the Arvo and Neto rivers, in order to provide hospitality to wayfarers.

Today, the Arvo Lake, which was born from the river of the same name, can be seen from Lorica, and here modern “wayfarers” will find hospitality, occupation and rest with the opportunity to fish for the excellent species that abound in its waters.

A panoramic road, which crosses through pine and beech forests, leads from Lorica to Montescuro, touching upon the main peaks (for this reason it is known as the Summit Road) and it is then possible to reach the modern tourist destination of Camigliatello and Cecita Lake where once again, travellers will find hospitality and refreshment.

Otherwise, departing once again from the Lorica Valley, through which San Giovanni in Fiore was linked to the pre-Sila towns and Cosenza, ideally, an ancient road that was used by woodsmen to gather wood may be taken, heading north towards another place that is marked by Gioacchino’s presence: Luzzi.

Luzzi, in ancient times it was traditionally known as “Tebe Lucana”, and was home to "The Cistercense Abbey of Sambucina”, the Order’s first Abbey to be founded in the Norman kingdom and which became an important artistic and economic centre in Southern Italy. Here, as in other places, travellers can refresh their spirits with the joys of the palate, with a glass of Controlled Origin San Vito di Luzzi wine, the heir of the product that was created by the Cistercensi Monks at the Sambucina Abbey.

These are just a few of the examples that are connected to this name and the territories it represents, where a great number of other authors, figures, events and inspiration have “danced”, as well as foods, smells, perfumes, traditions and customs, myths and legends, ancient theatre, storytellers and modern minstrels, all of which are the jewels that are connected by the magical thread of literary inspiration, which are able to provide an evocative coherence and a concrete sense to this tourist-cultural itinerary.

Moreover, the existing Tommaso Campanella Parchi Letterari® in Cosenza and the San Nilo Parchi Letterari® in Rossano are located in the territory of the Province of Cosenza.