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Scilla ( scn, label= Calabrian, U Scigghiu; ) is a town and '' comune'' in Calabria, Italy, administratively part of the
Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria ( it, Città metropolitana di Reggio Calabria) is an area of local government at the level of metropolitan city in the Calabria region of the Republic of Italy. It comprises the territory of the city of Reggi ...
. It is the traditional site of the sea monster
Scylla In Greek mythology, Scylla), is obsolete. ( ; grc-gre, Σκύλλα, Skúlla, ) is a legendary monster who lives on one side of a narrow channel of water, opposite her counterpart Charybdis. The two sides of the strait are within an arrow's ra ...
of Greek mythology.


Description

The town, from the city of Reggio, lies in front of the
strait of Messina The Strait of Messina ( it, Stretto di Messina, Sicilian: Strittu di Missina) is a narrow strait between the eastern tip of Sicily ( Punta del Faro) and the western tip of Calabria (Punta Pezzo) in Southern Italy. It connects the Tyrrhenian S ...
, and is composed of two parts: the downtown, where the town offices and the residence of the patron saint are situated, and '' Marina di Scilla'', the beach-front, populated by tourists and thus heavily characterized by hotels and restaurants. Its beach is the first place north of Reggio Calabria where the waters are not cooled by the strait draughts. Scilla's coastal district of Chianalea is included in the ''
I Borghi più belli d'Italia I Borghi più belli d'Italia is an association of small Italian towns of historical interest, that was founded in March 2001 on the initiative of the Tourism Council of the , with the aim of preserving and maintaining villages of quality heri ...
'' association of small Italian towns of historical interest list. The Ruffo Castle, a fortress built by the
Dukes of Calabria Duke of Calabria was the traditional title of the heir apparent of the Kingdom of Naples after the accession of Robert of Naples. It was also adopted by the heads of certain Houses that had once claimed the Kingdom of Naples in lieu of the royal ...
, overlooks the beach. On a seaward-facing terrace is Scilla Lighthouse, an important aid to ships entering the
Strait of Messina The Strait of Messina ( it, Stretto di Messina, Sicilian: Strittu di Missina) is a narrow strait between the eastern tip of Sicily ( Punta del Faro) and the western tip of Calabria (Punta Pezzo) in Southern Italy. It connects the Tyrrhenian S ...
from the north.


History

It is said that Tyrrhenian pirates were the first to settle this coastal area in 493 BC, but others claim it was already settled during the time of the Trojan Wars in the 12th century BC. The town of Scilla has ancient origins that relate mainly to the period of the destruction of Troy and invokes the myths and legends of Ulysses with Scylla and
Charybdis Charybdis (; grc, Χάρυβδις, Khárybdis, ; la, Charybdis, ) is a sea monster in Greek mythology. She, with the sea monster Scylla, appears as a challenge to epic characters such as Odysseus, Jason, and Aeneas. Scholarship locates her in t ...
, of Homer and Dante Alighieri. The town's name derives from the mythological figure of
Scylla In Greek mythology, Scylla), is obsolete. ( ; grc-gre, Σκύλλα, Skúlla, ) is a legendary monster who lives on one side of a narrow channel of water, opposite her counterpart Charybdis. The two sides of the strait are within an arrow's ra ...
, a young nymph who refused Glauco's love. He thus went to the sorceress Circe, who was in love with him, and asked her to help him win Scylla's heart. The offended sorceress poisoned the sea-pool where the nymph used to bathe, turning her into a horrific six dog-headed monster who destroyed every ship crossing the
Strait of Messina The Strait of Messina ( it, Stretto di Messina, Sicilian: Strittu di Missina) is a narrow strait between the eastern tip of Sicily ( Punta del Faro) and the western tip of Calabria (Punta Pezzo) in Southern Italy. It connects the Tyrrhenian S ...
. Scylla is said to live in the rock of Scilla, which the Castello di Ruffo sits on. In 1806, during the British expedition to Sicily to oppose the French invasion of Naples, the Castle of Scilla was twice besieged.


Geography

The municipality of Scilla includes the
subdivisions Subdivision may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Subdivision (metre), in music * ''Subdivision'' (film), 2009 * "Subdivision", an episode of ''Prison Break'' (season 2) * ''Subdivisions'' (EP), by Sinch, 2005 * "Subdivisions" (song), by Rush ...
Favazzina, Melia, and Solano Superiore. Scilla borders the municipalities of
Bagnara Calabra Bagnara Calabra (or simply Bagnara) is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Reggio Calabria in Calabria, southern Italy. It is located in the hills facing the Tyrrhenian Sea on the southern tip of the region, about southwest of Catanz ...
and Villa San Giovanni. Scilla lays across the
Strait of Messina The Strait of Messina ( it, Stretto di Messina, Sicilian: Strittu di Missina) is a narrow strait between the eastern tip of Sicily ( Punta del Faro) and the western tip of Calabria (Punta Pezzo) in Southern Italy. It connects the Tyrrhenian S ...
, with Sicily observable from the town. When visibility is clear, the island of Stromboli can also be seen.


Twin towns

Scilla has been twinned with the following: *
Ħamrun Hamrun (; ) is a town in the Southern Region of Malta, with a population of 9,244 as of March 2014. The people The townspeople are traditionally known as ''Tas-Sikkina'' (literally meaning 'of the knife' or 'those who carry a knife') or as '' ...
, Malta


In popular culture

Scilla is one of two primary settings in '' Elizabeth Street'', a 2009 historical novel by Laurie Fabiano that tells of the experiences of a family who emigrates from Scilla to New York City's
Little Italy Little Italy is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an urban neighborhood. The concept of "Little Italy" holds many different aspects of the Italian culture. There are s ...
neighborhood in the early 20th century. Based on the author's family history, it includes a detailed description of the 1908 earthquake and tsunami.


Transport

The town is served by a station on the Salerno-
Reggio Calabria Reggio di Calabria ( scn, label= Southern Calabrian, Riggiu; el, label=Calabrian Greek, Ρήγι, Rìji), usually referred to as Reggio Calabria, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, is the largest city in Calabria. It has an estimated popula ...
railway. Main roads include the A2 Salerno-Reggio motorway and the
Strada statale 18 Tirrena Inferiore The strada statale 18 "Tirrena Inferiore" (SS 18) is an Italian state road, connecting Campania and Calabria. It is among the longest and most important state highways in southern Italy, considering that it follows the Tyrrhenian coast, from Sal ...
.


Gallery

Marina Grande Scilla.JPG, The Marina Grande Scilla(RC).jpg, Marina Grande beach Scilla (RC) - la chjanalèa e il castello.jpg, Chianalea and the Castle Scilla139.jpg, Scilla and the Ruffo Castle Scilla Houses.jpg, Houses on the water in Scilla Stromboli visible from Scilla Calabria .jpg, Stromboli visible from Scilla at dusk


See also

* Scilla Lighthouse * Scyllaeum *
Calabrian wine Calabrian wine ( Italian: ''Vino Calabrese'') is Italian wine from the Calabria region of southern Italy. Over 90% of the region's wine production is red wine, with a large portion made from the Gaglioppo grape. Calabria has 12 '' Denominazione ...


References


External links

* {{Authority control Scilla, Calabria Castles in Italy