Bova, Calabria

Bova (Calabrian Greek: Χώρα του Βούα, Chòra tu Vùa; Calabrian: Vùa; Ancient Greek: ὁ Βούας, romanized: ó Boúas) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about 120 kilometres (75 mi) southwest of Catanzaro and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) southeast of Reggio. It is one of the Greek-Bovesian speaking villages of Bovesia, one of the two Griko-speaking areas of southern Italy. The village is inscribed into I Borghi più belli d'Italia list.[3]

Bova

Χώρα του Βούα  (Greek)
Comune
Comune di Bova
Coat of arms
Location of Bova
Bova
Location of Bova in Italy
Bova
Bova (Calabria)
Coordinates: 38°0′N 15°56′E
CountryItaly
RegionCalabria
Metropolitan cityReggio Calabria (RC)
Government
 • MayorGiovanni Andrea Casile
Area
 • Total46.9 km2 (18.1 sq mi)
Elevation
820 m (2,690 ft)
Population
 (2007)[2]
 • Total461
 • Density9.8/km2 (25/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Bovesi
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
89033
Dialing code0965
WebsiteOfficial website

History

Archaeological findings have attested human presence in the area to as early as the Neolithic age; in the pre-Roman age, the area was inhabited by the Ausones. Greek colonists founded a city (known as Delia or Deri) in what is now the borough of San Pasquale. This city followed the events of the wars between the major Greek centres in the area, Reggio, Locri and Syracuse, and was later subjected by the latter. After the Roman conquest, it became a town with citizenship rights.

In 440 Delia was ravaged by the Vandals. The unceasing attacks from sea pushed most of the towns in the area to resettle in safer locations far from the coast. The inhabitants from Delia founded the current Bova on a slope of the Aspromonte, at some 900 metres (3,000 ft) in elevation. This did not prevent the Saracens from attacking the town repeatedly and, in 953, from sacking it. Much of the population was deported, by order of the Sicilian Muslim emir Hassan al-Kalbi, as slaves to Africa. The Arabs besieged Bova again in 1075.

Under the Normans (11th century) Bova became an ecclesiastical fief under the Archbishop of Reggio, who held it until the abolition of feudalism in 1806. In the 16th century Bova's territory received numerous coastal watchtowers as defense against African pirates.

In World War II the town was heavily bombed by the Allies in 1943.

Demographic evolution
gollark: Isn't aternos at least 0.3 bad?
gollark: Oh, I guess so.
gollark: Which implies antimemetics.
gollark: Well, you clearly erased <@528237610943119381>'s memory of the relevant scene somehow.
gollark: You have access to antimemetics too?

References
  1. "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Istat. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. All demographics and other statistics from the Italian statistical institute (Istat)
  3. http://borghipiubelliditalia.it/project/bova/
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