Brancaleone
Brancaleone is a comune in the province of Reggio Calabria, in the Calabria region of southern Italy. It lies on the Ionian coast at the southern tip of the Italian peninsula, about 65 kilometres southeast of Reggio Calabria and roughly 110 kilometres southwest of Catanzaro. As of the end of 2004 the comune had a population of 3,923 over an area of about 35.9 square kilometres.
At a glance
- Type
- Coastal town and comune
- Period
- Ionian-coast town with an older inland centre
- Style
- Mediterranean Ionian-coast town
- Location
- Province of Reggio Calabria, Calabria, southern Italy
Overview
Brancaleone is a comune on the Ionian coast of the province of Reggio Calabria, near the southern end of the Italian mainland. It lies about 65 kilometres southeast of Reggio Calabria and around 110 kilometres southwest of Catanzaro. The town covers an area of roughly 35.9 square kilometres and recorded a population of 3,923 at the end of 2004.
History
Like many towns of southern Calabria, Brancaleone has roots in an older inland settlement, with the population later expanding toward the Ionian shore. The territory sits in the southernmost part of the Calabrian peninsula, a region marked by a long history of coastal life and exposure to the Ionian Sea. The modern comune brings together its historic core and its coastal areas.
What you see
The comune faces the Ionian Sea, with a coastal town and the surrounding territory rising inland. The setting is characteristic of the deep south of Calabria, where the coastline and the hinterland meet near the tip of the peninsula. The wider municipal area covers about 35.9 square kilometres.
Cultural significance
Brancaleone is part of the cultural landscape of the southern Ionian coast of Calabria, a region shaped by its position near the southernmost point of mainland Italy. Its combination of coastal settlement and inland heritage is typical of the comuni of the province of Reggio Calabria.
Practical information
Brancaleone is in the province of Reggio Calabria, Calabria. For opening hours of local sites and seasonal events, check the official municipal website.
Getting there
The town is served by the road and rail line running along the Ionian coast of Calabria, with connections toward Reggio Calabria to the southwest and other Ionian-coast centres.