Centro storico di Civita

Civita’s historic centre preserves the urban form and traditions of an Arbëreshë community established in Calabria in the fifteenth century. Its lanes gather into small neighbourhood squares, or gjitonie, while sculpted chimneys and stone houses define the hillside town.

Why it matters

Civita is one of the Arbëreshë municipalities of Cosenza province. Its historic centre reflects the community’s long preservation of its language and cultural traditions in Italy. The village is also a member of I Borghi più belli d’Italia and holds the Bandiera Arancione.

What to notice

The town is arranged in three historic quarters: Sant’Antonio, Piazza and Magazzeno. Within them, lanes open into gjitonie, small neighbourhood spaces around which houses cluster. The skyline is marked by numerous historic chimney pots, while seven houses known as the Case Kodra have façades whose windows, doors and chimneys suggest faces. Stone exterior stairs, balconies and the Cappella di Sant’Antonio—with its bell dated 1532—add to the character of the old quarters.

Context and history

The present Arbëreshë settlement was established around 1471, on the site of an earlier settlement. Local history also reaches further back: sources describe settlement in the area around the year 1000, followed by abandonment after an earthquake in the mid-fifteenth century. The surrounding countryside preserves evidence of Bronze Age occupation and the remains of Byzantine chapels. The town’s name has several proposed origins, including Arbëreshë and Latin forms.