Roccelletta: Scolacium and the Coast

Roccelletta brings together two different travel interests: the Scolacium Archaeological Park, with its ancient and medieval remains, and the beaches on the Gulf of Squillace. Whether you are planning your stay around culture, the coast, or a combination of the two, these themes can help you decide what to focus on during your trip. The archaeological site of Roccelletta di Borgia lies in the southeast of the Catanzaro Plain, west of the SS 106 Ionica.

Skylletion and Roman Scolacium

The history of the archaeological site dates back to the Greek foundation of Skylletion. Greek settlers from Athens or Kroton founded the city in the 6th or 5th century BC. Later, it became a Roman colony under the name Scolacium. The colony of Minervia Scolacium was founded in 123 BC. This timeline puts the different names and periods into context: it traces the story from the Greek city to the Roman colony, whose remains are preserved in the park.

Visible architectural remains in the park include a Roman theatre and the remains of a bath complex. The forum stands out for its brick paving, which is unparalleled in the Roman world. The amphitheatre can also be identified by its shape: its elliptical plan is typical of buildings associated with gladiatorial contests and animal hunts. Together, these different structures offer several ways to explore the history of ancient Scolacium.

The Basilica and Other Historic Sites

One notable building is the Norman Basilica of Santa Maria della Roccella, also known as the Basilica della Roccelletta. It dates from the late 11th to the mid-12th century; it is also described as an 11th-century Norman building. Its impressive red-brick ruins stand amid greenery. Its spatial and iconographic design belongs to the Western Romanesque church tradition. The now-lost decoration is attributed to a formal vocabulary influenced by Byzantine and Islamic styles. The basilica thus brings together its architectural form, date, and the interpretation of its former design, even though the lost decoration is no longer visible.

The fortified church of Monisciano is also among the monuments worth visiting in the Scolacium area. Check access arrangements locally. Regional tour guides may be available for tours of Scolacium Park; confirm before your trip whether this option is available. This allows you to plan around the specific visiting opportunities without taking a tour or access for granted.

Museum and Traces of Everyday Life

The adjoining Scolacium Museum is in the municipality of Borgia, specifically in the coastal town of Roccelletta. It is housed in a rural building dating from 1800. Its finds on display range from prehistoric times through the Greek and Roman periods to the Middle Ages. The collection’s broad time span complements the ruins with finds from different periods, offering another way to explore the history of the area.

The park’s visitor area also includes the “del Frantoio” Museum. The frantoio in the park was built in 1934 by the Mazza family. This more recent date provides a separate historical reference point alongside the ancient and medieval buildings. Those interested in the area’s different historical layers can therefore take in not only Greek and Roman remains, but also a 20th-century building.

Beaches on the Gulf of Squillace

Roccelletta’s beaches lie on the Gulf of Squillace. The water is described as clear and the seabed as sandy; beach conditions can vary seasonally. The coast offers a different focus from the archaeological site: here, the emphasis is on the sea and the beach, while Scolacium is about its architectural and historical remains. A free shuttle takes visitors from the streets of Borgia to the beaches of Roccelletta seasonally. Check the current shuttle service before your trip.

The two areas of interest offer different ways to plan a stay, without requiring a particular itinerary for any given day.

Discover more destinations: Gizzeria, Taverna, Amaroni, Soverato Marina, San Floro, Tiriolo, Simeri Mare, Zagarise.

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