BOVA: HEART OF GREEK CALABRIA AND GEM OF ITALY
Bova, located in the heart of Greek Calabria, is counted among the most evocative places in Italy and boasts profoundly ancient roots. It is said that her origins are intertwined with a mythical Greek monarch, Oichista, who left the mark of her passage on the highest peak of the hill overlooking the town.
The thousand-year history of Bova (often referred to as Vua) is highlighted by the multiple archaeological finds discovered near the Norman-era castle. These finds date back to the Neolithic period. However, the first documented traces of Bova's existence emerge between 1040 and 1064, when the Normans extended their influence over the Arabs and Byzantines, controlling both Sicily and Calabria.
Name
In the Greek language, Bova is known as Boos and in the local dialect as Vua. Some theories suggest that the name may derive from the Greek term "boua", meaning a "flock", while other hypotheses link it to the concept of "grain pit".
Subdivisions and Zones
Among the most well-known hamlets and locations are Brigha, Polemo, Caloghiero, Cavalli and Vunemo.
THE HISTORICAL STORY OF BOVA
Bova represents a fulcrum of Calabrian Hellenism, so much so that the Grecanica area is often called Bovesìa.
Occupied without interruption since the Neolithic, the fortress of Bova may have been a Magna Graecia bastion located on the border between the city-states of Reggio and Locri. Its privileged geographical position suggests that it was a refuge for the coastal inhabitants, especially after the barbarian invasions, presumably Lombard, which in the 6th century AD. they destroyed the Roman station of Scyle, located in the San Pasquale area in the territory of Bova Marina. Like many other historic centers in Southern Calabria, the fortress of Bova was strengthened during the Saracen incursions, probably becoming an episcopal seat as early as the 10th century. When the Normans took control, Bova was awarded to William, at a time when Luke (1095-1140), who was later canonized, mediated between the Western church and the region's devout Greeks. In 1162, the diocese came under the control of the archbishop of Reggio, remaining there until 1806. The Greek-Byzantine liturgical tradition was maintained until 1572, when it was abolished following the directives of the Council of Trent, by decision of the Armenian bishop Giulio Stavriano. Bova thus became one of the last dioceses in Italy to undergo Latinization by the Catholic church, consolidating its influence in the 17th century, the period in which most of the city's architecture was built. Bova retains its medieval urban layout, enriched by baroque buildings and majestic 18th century palaces. Among the notable buildings, the facades of the churches of San Leo (1606), San Rocco (1622) and Spirito Santo (1631) stand out. Other noteworthy architectural elements include the side portal of the Isodia co-cathedral and the facades of the churches of Carmine and Immacolata. Many religious buildings house Renaissance sculptures, such as the Madonna dell'Isodia by Rinaldo Bonanno (1584) and the statue of San Leo (1582), whose origin remains a mystery.
ILLUSTRIOUS PEOPLE
In the modern age, Bova was the birthplace of Bruno Casile, baptized by Pier Paolo Pasolini as "the peasant poet" and of Agostino Siviglia, another great Greek poet.
EXPLORING THE HISTORICAL CENTER OF BOVA
Located at 820 meters above sea level, La Chòra represents the historic heart of Bova.
The entrance to Bova is truly breathtaking. In the vast area in front of the central square, a historic 740 Ansaldo Breda locomotive from 1911 dominates, a tangible symbol of emigration and an icon of the State Railways. Not far away, your attention is captured by the majestic Palazzo dei Nesci Sant'Agata, with its distinctive crenellated arch, built in 1822. Dominating the square is the Town Hall, built at the beginning of the 20th century on the ruins of Palazzo Marzano. Of this palace only the adjacent chapel remains, now transformed into a tourist office. Behind, stands the sanctuary dedicated to San Leo, the patron saint of the village, an Italian-Greek monk from the 12th century. His sacred relics are preserved in a silver urn, commissioned in 1855 by Antonino Marzano. This urn is surmounted by a silver bust of the saint, the work of a Messina craftsman from 1635. On the altar, consecrated in 1755, stands a marble statue of San Leo, depicted with an ax and a ball of pitch, symbols of his charitable commitment. This work, dated 1582, is often attributed to Rinaldo Bonanno, although some believe it may have been influenced by Gian Lorenzo Bernini's father, Pietro. Other theories suggest that the artist may have been Michelangelo Naccherino, a Florentine active in the Kingdom of Naples in the late sixteenth century. Behind the church, there is one of the entrances to the Aspromonte National Park, which offers an overview of the Grecanic culture. Proceeding along a path of a thousand steps, you reach the fortress overlooking Bova, located at 950 meters above sea level. This ancient fortress, of Byzantine origin, was renovated during the Norman and Angevin periods. At its feet stands the Isodia Cathedral, dedicated to the Madonna presented to the Temple by Sant'Anna. In 1572, the Cypriot bishop Julius Stavriano abolished the Byzantine rite in this church, marking the complete Latinization of the region. Observing the cliffs surrounding Bova, you can notice the last of the towers erected during the Angevin period (13th-14th century). The neighborhood called Pirgoli (which in Greek means "towers") was once the Giudecca of Bova. Its southern door was incorporated into the arch that connected the two wings of the Palazzo dei Mesiano Mazzacuva, rebuilt after the earthquake of 1783. It is also worth visiting the church of San Rocco, built at the original entrance to the town following a plague epidemic in 1577. This church, presumably completed in 1622, houses a 19th-century wooden statue of Saint Roch.
Bova also boasts two important museums: the Museum of the Greek Language, in honor of Gerhard Rohlfs, the German linguist who brought to light the ancient roots of this language, and the Civic Museum of Paleontology and Natural Sciences of Aspromonte, both located at the entrance to the town. In the old Rao district, near the main square, there is the open-air Museum of Rural Civilization, recently inaugurated thanks to Saverio Micheletta, an emigrant from Bova who wanted to preserve the memories of his youth through finds of the local agro-pastoral tradition.
TRADITIONS AND MANUAL CRAFTS IN BOVA
Bova represents one of the exclusive places where ancient traditions and practices are still preserved.
Local craftsmanship has deep origins, and one of its most authentic manifestations is traditional weaving. Raw materials such as wool, linen, cotton and broom are transformed by the skilled hands of the weavers, using manual looms, to create fabrics which, once joined in groups of three, give life to the typical Vutana blankets. The most frequent decorative motifs have roots in the Byzantine era, among which the "mattunarico", the "telizio", the "greca", the "greco" and the "muddare" stand out.
Another distinctive aspect of Bova's craftsmanship is the mastery of woodworking. In the past, wooden objects, finely carved and inlaid, were the result of the skill of local shepherds. Among these, there are looms, cake molds known as "plumia", spoons called "mistre" and, in particular, the "musulupare", molds used to form the ancient Aspromonte cheese called "musulupu".
CULINARY DELIGHTS OF BOVA
Bova's gastronomy is inspired by the tastes and tones of the Mediterranean, but carries with it the unmistakable Grecian imprint. Deeply rooted in the agro-pastoral tradition, local cuisine boasts goat's milk, tomato and olive oil as its pillars. These ingredients are the basis of delicious dishes such as maccarruni with goat sauce, cordeddi in sauce, tagghiarini with chickpeas, rich di previti with tomato and goat meat in the Bova style. The area is also renowned for its cured meats, such as sausage, capocollo and soppressata, and for its cheeses, in particular ricotta and musulupi, a typical cheese consumed during Easter. We cannot forget the traditional desserts, such as the pretali typical of the Christmas period, the Easter 'nghute, and the scaddateddi, donuts enriched with cumin seeds. Also worth trying is the lestopitta, a pancake made with flour and water, fried in oil and served hot.