Discover Rende: Art, History, and Holiday Apartments in Rende

Rende combines landscape, history, and art. Rende stretches along the Crati River to the Serre Cosentine. In the historic center, the town preserves its medieval urban structure, along with the historic names of its streets and squares.

Art and Museums in Rende

The Museo Civico e Pinacoteca “Achille Capizzano” is housed in the historic Palazzo Zagarese. The demo-ethno-anthropological section affiliated with the museum bears the name Raffaele Lombardi Satriani and documents rural culture through clothing, objects, and photographic documents. Alongside art, the focus is therefore also on regional everyday life and cultural memory.

The MAON is housed in the 18th-century Palazzo Vitari in the historic center of Rende. The Museo del Presente hosts exhibitions by Italian artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as young artists from throughout Italy. It also features a permanent exhibition on the Calabrian Futurists, based on the donation from the Bilotti family.

The Museo d’arte contemporanea “Roberto Bilotti Ruggi d’Aragona” has a collection of more than 400 works. The Polo Culturale of Rende also includes the Museo all’Aperto (MAR), an open-air museum featuring art installations. The two museums housed in Palazzo Zagarese and Palazzo Vitari therefore differ from the MAR, which is an open-air museum comprising art installations. The artistic spectrum thus ranges from historic collections and regional culture to contemporary works and outdoor art.

Historic Center and Churches

The Giudecca district in Rende’s historic center is characterized by narrow alleys and arcades.

The Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore was built in the 12th century. The church contains paintings by Cristoforo Santanna, Giuseppe Pascaletti, and Giuseppe Grana. The Chiesa del Rosario was built in 1679 by the brothers Raffaele and Giuseppe De Bortolo. It is designed in the Baroque and Rococo styles and has a tripartite façade made of tuff from Mendicino.

The Chiesa del Rosario also houses a nativity scene with Neapolitan figures from the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as an 18th-century organ. Those interested in architectural history, painting, and sacred furnishings will therefore find several distinct areas of interest within Rende’s historic center.

Castello, the Crati Valley, and the Townscape

The Castello in Rende was built in 1095 on a hill between the Surdo and Emoli streams and overlooks much of the Crati Valley. The atrium displays the coats of arms of the Magdalone and Alarçon de Mendoza families. The Castello is also known as the “Gigante di Pietra” and combines historic architecture with the valley’s striking landscape.

Discover More Destinations

If you would like to extend your travel planning beyond Rende, you can also explore San Lucido, Roggiano Gravina, Altavilla, Fagnano Castello, Mangone, Fuscaldo, Rose, and Cosenza.

Back to the main travel overview: Cosenza.