Discover Oppido Mamertina

Oppido Mamertina lies halfway between the peaks of Aspromonte National Park and the crystal-clear waters of the Costa Viola. Its cultural highlights range from sacred art and historic sites to museums exploring rural and craft traditions. So different interests may guide your choice of hotel: the history of the cathedral and old Oppido, or the evidence of religious art and everyday life.

The Cathedral, Oppido Vecchia and the Castle

The Diocese of Oppido was established between 1050 and 1065; the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is documented from this period. It contains a marble statue of the Madonna from the 16th century, which came from Oppido Vecchia. The Christ Child is missing; the statue may be a work by Gagini. Its origin, material and tentative attribution make the work a specific point of reference in the history of sacred art.

Oppido Vecchia is classified as a historic town centre and is now a ruin. The castle of ancient Oppido dates from the 10th century; in 1056, it withstood a siege by the Normans. In its final phase of development, it displays Aragonese features. This makes it possible to distinguish its origins, the siege and its later architectural characteristics.

Palazzo Grillo was built after the 1787 earthquake by Don Giuseppe Grillo, who came from a noble family of Genoese origin. Following complete restoration, the building is intended to house a museum. Its history thus links an 18th-century event with a planned later use.

Museums: Church Art and Everyday Culture

The Oppido-Palmi Diocesan Museum is housed in a building next to the Cathedral of Oppido Mamertina. It displays artworks owned by the diocese, which were previously kept in churches, monasteries, convents and other religious sites. Its collection includes paintings and wooden and stone sculptures. The collection thus brings together different forms of art with a shared diocesan origin.

Opened in 1998, the Museo didattico della civiltà contadina e artigiana preserves artefacts from the agro-pastoral culture of the Oppido Mamertina area. It displays tools used to produce and process silk, olives and cheese. Reconstructed scenes of domestic life and women's work include a still-functioning loom, breadmaking tools, embroidery, lace and everyday objects. The difference from the Diocesan Museum lies not only in the objects: here, crafts, domestic life and women's work are the main cultural themes, while the other museum brings together religious artworks.

Madonna Images and Festival Traditions

The Santuario Maria Santissima delle Grazie di Tresilico houses a statue of the Madonna by Arcangelo Testa, dating from 1838. The Chiesa di Castellace houses a marble Madonna of Loreto, created by G. B. Mazzolo in 1542. The dates can be compared directly: Mazzolo's Madonna of Loreto is dated 1542, while Testa's statue of the Madonna dates from 1838.

The feast of Maria Santissima Annunziata, the patron saint of Oppido Mamertina, is celebrated on 25 March and concludes with a procession through the town. This tradition continues to this day. The festival therefore offers another cultural point of reference alongside the artworks and historical evidence.

Discover more destinations: Camini, Galatro, Cittanova, Seminara, Condofuri, Roccella Ionica, Pellaro, Cosoleto.

For the main travel overview: Reggio Calabria.