Rossano, Former municipality in Province of Cosenza, Italy
Rossano is a former municipality in the province of Cosenza in Calabria that sits on a hillside three kilometers from the Ionian Sea and now forms part of the city of Corigliano-Rossano. Narrow lanes wind through the historic center up to church facades and squares, while olive groves and orchards cover the slopes below the settlement.
During Byzantine rule between the 9th and 11th centuries, the settlement served as a center of Greek culture and monastic life in southern Italy. It later came under Norman control and became part of the Kingdom of Sicily, maintaining its religious importance over the centuries.
Its name comes from the Latin Rusianum, pointing to pre-Roman roots and a long history of coastal settlement. Local craftspeople today preserve traditional methods of liqueur production and process licorice using recipes passed down through generations.
Visitors traveling here will find most shops and restaurants in the lower part of the old town, where pedestrians can navigate the alleys easily. The climb to higher areas requires good footwear, especially after rain when the old stone paths become slippery.
Inside the Diocesan Museum, visitors can view fragments of medieval frescoes uncovered during restoration work in old monasteries that carry Greek inscriptions. These wall paintings show saints and biblical scenes with an intensity that combines Byzantine icon tradition and local interpretation.
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