Parco Archeologico Medievale di Mileto Antica

Mileto Antica preserves the remains of the Norman capital founded by Roger I, including an abbey, cathedral complex and medieval settlement.

Why it matters

In the eleventh century Roger I made Mileto the political and administrative centre of Norman Calabria. His son Roger II, later king of Sicily, was born there. The archaeological park preserves remains from the town's Byzantine, Norman and later medieval phases.

What to notice

The remains are distributed across two hills, with the Abbey of the Santissima Trinità on one and the Norman cathedral and bishop's complex on the other. The valley between preserves traces of the medieval settlement, including houses and productive buildings.

Context and history

Mileto was granted to Roger I in 1058 and became a principal Norman centre in Calabria. The town suffered repeated earthquakes, and the 1783 earthquake brought the old settlement to an end. A new town was founded nearby, leaving the medieval capital as an archaeological area.