Borgo di Soverato Superiore e U Chianu

Soverato Superiore is the hillside quarter rebuilt after the 1783 earthquake, with U Chianu as its small public square.

Why it matters

The quarter records the rebuilding of Soverato after the destruction of the older hilltop settlement. Its compact lanes, steep setting and civic square preserve the character of a community formed through displacement and reconstruction.

What to notice

The historic quarter's houses cluster along the slope, with narrow lanes and stairways opening views toward the Gulf of Squillace. U Chianu, whose dialect name refers to level ground, is a small garden square among the surrounding streets.

Context and history

The earthquake of 1783 destroyed the older fortified settlement of Soverato Vecchio. Residents rebuilt on a neighbouring hill, and the new settlement became the town's administrative and religious centre before growth shifted toward the coast in the twentieth century.