Lettura del sistema fortificato della fascia Tirrenica calabrese attraverso le iconografie storiche

Abstract

[EN] This paper offers suggestions for the knowledge of fortified centres of the Tyrrhenian coast of Northern Calabria, through a critical reading of ancient graphic representations of this territory. The exegetical reading of these ancient landscapes has been supported by the notes extracted from literary sources and data deduced from analytical procedures conducted on the assets. The essential characters of the fortresses and the areas surrounding castles have been identified, recognizing the dynamics of settlements, explaining their formal, functional and constructive characters, and verifying the signs of permanence and variance through time. In the surveyed area, the castles are commonly located on hilltops, overlooking the sea and controlling the territory and villages. Because of its dense defence fabric, made of manors and towers, this area can be seen as one of the most representative of the whole Region. The study of this heritage is essential for the comprehension of the historical and architectural characters of the area, and therefore for the enhancement of the built landscape of the entire Mediterranean basin.