comune
A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...
''Comune di Varapodio /ref> (municipality) in the
Province of Reggio Calabria
The province of Reggio Calabria () was a province in the Calabria region of Italy. It was the southernmost province in mainland Italy and is separated from the island of Sicily by the Strait of Messina. The capital was the city of Reggio.
It w ...
in the southern
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
region
Calabria
Calabria is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. It is a peninsula bordered by the region Basilicata to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the Strait of Messina to the southwest, which separates it from Sicily, and the Tyrrhenian S ...
, located about southwest of
Catanzaro
Catanzaro (; or ; ), also known as the "City of the two Seas" (), is an Italian city of 86,183 inhabitants (2020), the capital of the Calabria region and of its province and the second most populated comune of the region, behind Reggio Calabr ...
and about northeast of
Reggio Calabria
Reggio di Calabria (; ), commonly and officially referred to as Reggio Calabria, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, is the List of cities in Italy, largest city in Calabria as well as the seat of the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria. As ...
.
Varapodio, from the coast of
Gioia Tauro
Gioia Tauro () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria (Italy), on the Tyrrhenian coast. It has an important port, situated along the route connecting Suez to Gibraltar, one of the busiest maritime corridors in ...
, is one of the towns on the plains of Gioia Tauro. It borders the following municipalities:
Ciminà
Ciminà () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about southwest of Catanzaro and about northeast of Reggio Calabria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 652 and an a ...
,
Molochio
Molochio () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about southwest of Catanzaro and about northeast of Reggio Calabria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,700 and ...
,
Oppido Mamertina
Oppido Mamertina (, ) is a town and ''comune'' of the province of Reggio Calabria in Calabria in southern Italy at about northeast of Reggio Calabria and about southwest of Catanzaro.
It is the seat of the Diocese of Oppido Mamertina.
The mun ...
,
Platì
Platì (; ) is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Reggio Calabria, in Calabria, southern Italy. It rises above sea level on the slope of the Aspromonte mountains and is located next to the Aspromonte National Park.
History
P ...
,
Taurianova
Taurianova is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the southern Italy, Italian region Calabria, located about southwest of Catanzaro and about northeast of Reggio Calabria.
As of 31 December 2004, it had a populat ...
,
Terranova Sappo Minulio
Terranova Sappo Minulio is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about southwest of Catanzaro and about northeast of Reggio Calabria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of ...
.
Etymology
The name of the town has evolved over the ages. Originally it was called ''Marrapodi'', derived from the Greek 'Mαραποδιον', or ''Marrapodion'', possibly meaning 'heavy-footed'. Another theory put forward by Don Antonino Di Masi is that the name is derived from the local river called ''Marro''. It was later called ''Barapodi'' by the local Greek-speaking Orthodox Christians who inhabited the town, then to the Latinised ''Baropedium'' during the 14th to 16th centuries. In modern times, it was regularly called ''Varapodi'', and then finally to Varapodio in 1811, although ''Varapodi'' is still used in the local dialect.
History
The ancient Varapodio was located three kilometres from its present location, in an area called ''Il Salvatore''. According to the tradition, town was founded in 951 CE by inhabitants fleeing Islamic attacks on along the coast. By the 17th century, the town had shifted to its present location, where there were already a few established churches founded by the
Augustinian Fathers
Augustinians are members of several Religious order (Catholic), religious orders that follow the Rule of Saint Augustine, written about 400 A.D. by Augustine of Hippo. There are two distinct types of Augustinians in Catholic religious orders dat ...
. The town attained autonomy by Royal Decree number 922 on May 4, 1811.
Varapodio experienced significant levels of emigration during the 1950s to 1960s, with communities of emigrants settling in Northern Italy, the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
and within
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, principally
Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
,
Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
,
Adelaide
Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
,
Cobram
Cobram is a town in Victoria, Australia. It is on the Murray River which forms the border between Victoria and New South Wales. Cobram along with the nearby towns of Numurkah and Yarrawonga is part of Shire of Moira and is the administrative cen ...
,
Shepparton
Shepparton () (Yorta Yorta language, Yortayorta: ''Kanny-goopna'') is a city located on the floodplain of the Goulburn River (Victoria), Goulburn River in northern Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, approximately north-northeast of Mel ...
and
Swan Hill
Swan Hill is a List of cities in Australia, city in the northwest of Victoria, Australia on the Murray Valley Highway and on the south bank of the Murray River, downstream from the junction of the Loddon River, Victoria, Loddon River. At the , ...
. Today, agriculture is still the driving force behind the economy of the town, although industry is present with factories specializing in processing oranges and olives.