Palmi
Parmi (Sicilian)
Reggio Calabria (RC)
Giuseppe Ranuccio (PdL)
31.8 km2 (12.3 sq mi)
228 m (748 ft)
19,569
620/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Palmesi
0966
December 6
It is seat of the district,[3] which includes 33 municipalities in the plain of Gioia Tauro,
[4] with a population of approximately 170,000 inhabitants.
With the nearby beaches of Marina di Palmi and Lido di Palmi, overlooking the Violet coast, the city is a major seaside resort thanks to its landscape, which has led writers and poets to call it the "terrace on the Strait of Messina".[5]
In addition to being the main administrative center, office and school of the Tyrrhenian coast of the province of Reggio Calabria, Palmi was also an important agricultural and commercial center and a bishopric of Roman Catholic Diocese of Oppido Mamertina-Palmi.[6]
For centuries, the city was one of the most important cultural centers of Calabria in the literary, musical, historical and archaeological interest. Gave birth, among others, to the famous composer Francesco Cilea, and the writer Leonida Repaci and houses the museum complex of the House of Culture and the Archaeological park of Tauriani, on the ruins of the ancient city of Tauriana. In the latter lived in Saint Fantino, the oldest saint of Calabria[7] and the crypt, which contained his remains, is currently the oldest catholic place of worship in the region.[8]
In addition to Palmi are celebrated two holidays of national importance. The two events are the Varia di Palmi, inserted in 2013 in the UNESCO "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity", and the feast of Saint Roch with the "procession of barbed wire".[9]
History[edit]
Toponymy[edit]
About the origins of the name given to Palmi is a constant tradition, followed over the centuries to its foundation, it has acquired its name because of the many palm trees that stood in its territory, so much so that the indication De Palmis, Roger I Count Calabria specified grant of the Church of San Georgium, in 1085, the Church of St. Mary of the Twelve apostles and Bagnara Calabra. Dominus Palmae was called instead by Baron De Iacobus Roto of Seminara in the records of the Angevin barons of Calabria in 1333, while in the following centuries, the ancient Civitas Palmarum notaries they used the expression to indicate Palmi. Which, in the 16th century, by Gabriel Barrio was called to Parma while Lando Alberti was appointed as Palma. Carlopoli was also named in the aforesaid century, in honor of the Duke Carlo Spinelli, who rebuilt the fortress after a Saracen devastation, so much so that in 1567 are given the title of oppidum (a confirmation of fortification) and Palma nunc Carlopoli assuming that the new Carlopoli was built next to the old town. Only in 1669 it began to be written Palmi, but with the start of the 18th century, the city was known as ordinarily Palme, a name that always prevailed until the unification of Italy (1860), where it settled as Palmi.
Prehistory and antiquity[edit]
The municipal area was already inhabited by the Bronze Age, as evidenced by findings obtained in the excavations conducted in the "Cave of Pietrosa" or hut remains discovered in Taureana of Palmi.
From the 4th century BC and up to the 10th century, in the municipality developed on the city of Tauriana before Brettia and Roman. The latter was in 951, which was destroyed by the troops of the Emir Palermo Hasan Ibn Ali, for failure tribute owed by the Byzantines to which belonged the extreme southern Italy. Fleeing, the part of Taurianensi dedicated to traffic and the arts seamanship chose and planted the upper part of the coast, between Monte Aulinas and the river Metaurus, in district De Palmis where there were houses of the Tauriani.
Middle Ages[edit]
The small town, hamlet of Seminara and feudal lords of the latter, was hit again in the course of centuries by Saracen pirates until, in 1549, after the devastation of the last feudal lord Duke Charles Spinelli decided to fortify it. In this way, the city took on a rectangular shape and was surrounded by walls with four imposing towers which stood extremes. In that century, the city grew in importance attracting all the maritime trade of the southern coast of Calabria.
Independent of Seminara in 1632 in the 17th century, the city developed urbanistically and economically thanks to the commercial activity of its inhabitants and the foresight of the Marquis Andrea Arena Concublet that instituted a "fair". The walls to the east fell gradually to allow the coupling to the new agglomerations were to be formed as a result of population growth. Also in the 17th century the urban fabric focused around a node formed by the new "Market Square".
Early modern[edit]
In the 18th century Palmi crossed one of the most flourishing periods of its history, until 1783, when it was hit by an earthquake which resulted in 1,400 deaths. The reconstruction of the city took part following the plan prepared by Ing. G. De Cosiron.
The city was placed in the capital of the district in 1806. In 1860 took the landing of Giuseppe Garibaldi and his expedition of the Thousand to Marina di Palmi, and the event had put to flight the large garrison Bourbon in town. With 'Unification of Italy, the district was repealed and the city was placed at the head of the district of Palmi (abolished in 1927).
In 1894, the city was the epicenter of an earthquake. Despite the power of the shock and the great ruins that produced, the number of deaths was only eight, of this was due to a condition referred to as miraculous, which coincided with the history of the miracle of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Palmi.
In 1908 Palmi was almost totally destroyed by the violent earthquake of December 28, which resulted in about 600 deaths. The town was rebuilt. Pucci stavolgendo almost completely urban planning of the past centuries. The reconstruction, which involved the entire first half of the 20th century, gave the city a pleasant appearance, with the uniformity of the volumes, with the neoclassical style of the new buildings and the construction of monuments and works of art.
World War II saw the urban development in the field of tertiary putting Palmi as the main administrative center, office and school of the Tyrrhenian coast of the province through the establishment of secondary schools, facilities of the armed forces, health facilities and judicial offices and other public and private entities.
In 1999 was established by the Province of Reggio Calabria, the Environment of the Plain, renamed in 2008 district of Palmi.
Transport[edit]
The main road infrastructure that crosses the city of Palmi is the motorway A2 Salerno-Reggio di Calabria, in the municipality, has two outputs, the "release of Palmi" and the "release of Sant'Elia". Besides the highway the most important way is the highway state roads 18 that runs through the urban area town for about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi). Other important routes are the roads that connect Palmi with Seminara and Taurianova.
The railway lines that run through the area of Palmi are two: the Battipaglia–Reggio di Calabria railway and the Gioia Tauro-Palmi railway, for a total of four train stations (Central Palmi, Palmi Trodio, Taureana, San Fantino).
Palmi is reachable by sea from the port in the bay of Tonnara. The structure is the main hub for tourism of the Tyrrhenian coast of southern Calabria, thanks to its 200 berths (300 in anticipation).
Urban mobility is given by the "Piana Palmi Multiservice", the public transport company of the city, connecting with each other the various neighborhoods of the city.
The nearest airport is that of Reggio Calabria.
Sports[edit]
Football is the most popular sport in Palmi. The football team is the main U.S. Palmese 1912 that in the past he played for five seasons in the league of level III (now Lega Pro) missing, among other things, the playoffs in 1935 for access to the Serie B. In addition, in 1934, Palmese has played in Palmi two friendlies against AS Roma and AC Fiorentina.
Golem Volley is the town's professional women's volleyball club.
In road cycling, May 25, 1982, Palmi was home to start the 11th stage of the Giro d'Italia 1982. The city is crossed by the caravan of the Giro d'Italia in other 11 editions. In addition Palmi has been home to start, or passage, numerous editions of the Giro di Calabria and, above all, the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria. On the ascent of Monte Sant'Elia, in the past the biggest names in Italian cycling gave the show in climbing to the summit. These included: Fausto Coppi, Gino Bartali, Felice Gimondi, Fiorenzo Magni, Francesco Moser, Gastone Nencini and Vittorio Adorni.
