Squillace

Comune

Città di Squillace

Coat of arms

Squillace

Location of Squillace in Italy

Coordinates: 38°47′N 16°31′E / 38.783°N 16.517°E

Country

Italy

Region

Calabria

Province / Metropolitan city

Catanzaro (CZ)

Frazioni

Fiasco Baldaia, Squillace Lido

Government

• Mayor

Guido Rhodio

Area

• Total

33 km² (13 sq mi)

Elevation

344 m (1,129 ft)

Population (December 31, 2013)

• Total

3,541

• Density

110/km² (280/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Squillacesi

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

• Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

Postal code

88069

Dialing code

0961

Patron saint

St. Agathius Martyr

Saint day

May 7

Website

http://www.squillace.org

Squillace (Greek: Skyllision, Skyllition) is an ancient seaside town and comune, in the Province of Catanzaro, part of Calabria, southern Italy, facing the Gulf of Squillace.

Squillace is situated on the east coast of Calabria, on the shores of an extensive bay, the Gulf of Squillace (Italian: Golfo di Squillace), which indents the coast of Calabria on the east as deeply as that of the Gulf of Saint Euphemia (Italian: Golfo di Sant'Eufemia) does on the west, with a comparatively narrow isthmus between them.

Squillace is known today as one of Italy's most important archaeological sites as well as a popular resort. The name derives from the ancient city of Scylletium, the principal ruins of which are located in the nearby comune of Borgia. The Roman statesman and writer Cassiodorus founded a monastery called Vivarium on his family estates on the shores of the Ionian Sea in the 6th century AD. This monastery was on the site of the modern Santa Maria de Vetere near Squillace.

Production of highly prized terra cotta has been an important part the local economy for centuries; Cassiodorus makes several mentions of it in his writings. Squillace is the home of the pignatari style of ceramic artistry. The name is derived from the Italian word pignata, an earthenware container used for cooking beans over an open fire.

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Wikipedia