Podargoni (), is a ''

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'' in the

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 popul ...

, in the southern Italian region of

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. Together with Ortì and Terreti it forms the 11th district of the municipality of

. It is a small town close to the

Aspromonte The Aspromonte is a mountain massif in the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria (Calabria, southern Italy). The literal translation of the name means "rough mountain". But for others the name more likely is related to the Greek word Aspros ( Ά� ...

mountains, and is above sea level, at the foot of Mount Marrapà and on the left bank of the river Gallico. The town is inhabited by the Griko people who formerly spoke their ancestral Calabrian Greek dialect.

Etymology

The name Podargoni is Greek in origin deriving from the Greek dialect formerly spoken in southern Calabria and originates from the Greek expression ''Podargos'' (πόδαργος) which means 'swift-footed'.

History

The earliest reference of the town is in a 14th-century document of Vatican, but it is possible that the town existed earlier. In the 17th century Podargoni, like other neighboring areas, had a remarkable demographic growth due to the movement towards the mountains of the inhabitants of coastal areas, repeatedly subjected to Ottoman raids. The village was damaged by the earthquake of 1783. "In the second class of 'places, it' such as the buildings are either rovinevoli, or injured,, include Reedy, Ceraso (sic), PODARGONE (sic), Terreti ..." (Story de'fenomeni the earthquake occurred in Calabria in the year 1783 ... "). In 1811, after the administrative distributions the

Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples ( la, Regnum Neapolitanum; it, Regno di Napoli; nap, Regno 'e Napule), also known as the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was ...

commissioned by Joachim Murat, Podargoni became independent, a status he held until 1927 when it was incorporated in Greater Reggio. In the last town, the country experienced a sharp depopulation as a result of emigration to the

United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

and, in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, to

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and European countries (France-Belgium). Separately, transfers in the Strait. A few years ago Podargoni was declared a protected medieval village of particular historical and environmental significance, but its architectural salvage program, which began in the 1990s, is stagnating. A decisive incentive to the rebirth of Podargoni, and the whole valley, promises the new freeway Gallic-Gambarie, under construction, and already accessible from the motorway junction Gallico and Mills Calanna (Bridge Calanna). The next section, already planned by the Province, will reach the area Podargoni.

Places of worship

The Church of ''Santa Maria del Bosco''.

Notable people

* Tony Bennett ( New York , August 3, 1926), born Anthony Dominick Benedetto, American singer whose paternal ancestors were originally from Podargoni. His father migrated from Calabria to the United States.

References

External links

Official website of Podargoni
{{coord, 38.1638, N, 15.7802, E, source:wikidata, display=title Cities and towns in Calabria Frazioni of the Province of Reggio Calabria