Cortale – Art, Landscape and Craftsmanship

Cortale lies on a hill above wide plains and impressive valleys. The town offers open views of the Gulf of Sant’Eufemia and the Gulf of Squillace. Its elevated position creates a defining contrast between distant views and the details of the town center. Churches, palaces, fountains, art, craftsmanship and regional specialties give it several facets. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Cortale, you will therefore find a destination that combines culture, landscape and culinary discoveries.

Art and History in the Townscape

In Cortale’s historic center stands the Chiesa Matrice, built in 1799 and decorated with stucco and 19th-century frescoes by Andrea Cefaly. At the Chiesa Matrice, the 1799 building and the later 19th-century frescoes thus come together. In 1862, Andrea Cefaly founded the “Scuola di Cortale” together with the painter Michele Lenzi. Palazzo Cefaly houses the Galleria Raimondo Cefaly and the studio of the painter Andrea Cefaly (1827–1907).

Palazzo Venuti is protected as a historic monument under D.M. 05/08/1985. Palazzo Cefaly, with its interior furnishings, is protected as a historic monument under D.M. 28/07/1987, while the Casa Natale del Pittore Andrea Cefaly is protected under D.M. 11/12/2000. Palazzo Cinque and the adjoining Chiesetta di Sant’Anna are jointly protected as historic monuments under D.M. 01/06/2001. The Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista is classified as a subsidiary church.

Fountains, Buildings and Regional Traditions

The Chiesa di Santa Maria Cattolica Maggiore was built in the 18th century; in front of it stands a monument to the unification of Italy created by Andrea Cefaly. The Fontana delle Tre Cannelle is decorated with stone mascarons and supplied by a nearby abundant spring. The Fontana di Donnafiori has six outlets; behind it is a washhouse with four basins. At the fountains, stone mascarons meet six outlets and a washhouse with four basins. In Contrada Abatia, the Lavatoio delle olive was built in 1874 and is a testimony to industrial archaeology.

Handcrafted silk is among the products listed in Cortale’s De.C.O. register. Five varieties of beans are grown in Cortale, and Graffiola is an old traditional sweet from Cortale.

Route and Feast Day in Cortale

Cortale is the third stage of La Strada dei Due Mari, a crossing of the Catanzaro Isthmus between the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas. The Festa patronale di San Giovanni Battista is celebrated in Cortale every year on June 24. The stage and the fixed date represent two different occasions for including Cortale in a journey.

Discover More Destinations

For further travel planning, you can also discover Girifalco, Marina Di Davoli, San Pietro a Maida, Montepaone, Simeri, Satriano, Simeri Mare and Curinga.

To the main travel overview: Catanzaro.