Paola, Calabria
Paola (Calabrian: Pàula) is a town and comune in the province of Cosenza in the Calabria region of southern Italy.
Paola | |
---|---|
Città di Paola | |
Panoramic view | |
Location of Paola | |
Paola Location of Paola in Italy Paola Paola (Calabria) | |
Coordinates: 39°22′N 16°2′E | |
Country | Italy |
Region | Calabria |
Province | Cosenza (CS) |
Government | |
• Mayor | Roberto Perrotta |
Area | |
• Total | 42.88 km2 (16.56 sq mi) |
Elevation | 94 m (308 ft) |
Population (December 31, 2017)[2] | |
• Total | 15,716 |
Demonym(s) | Paolani |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Postal code | 87027 |
Dialing code | 0982 |
Patron saint | St. Francis of Paola |
Saint day | April 2 and May 4 |
Website | Official website |
Geography
Paola is on the eastern shore of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Nearby towns include Fuscaldo to the north, San Lucido to the south, and (beyond a ridge) Montalto Uffugo to the east and San Benedetto Ullano to the northeast.
History
In July 1555, the Beylerbey of the Mediterranean, Turgut Reis, captured the city.
In August 1943, the middle of World War II, while almost all the citizens of the city were hiding from the air raids by Allied bombers inside the Monastery of St. Francis of Paola, an 80 kg (176 lb) iron-core bomb fell right in the middle of the agglomeration, but did not detonate, a fact widely reported as a miracle. The reason behind the bombing was the presence of Carlo Scorza, secretary of the National Fascist Party, second only to Mussolini.[3][4][5]
Main sights
Saint Francis Sanctuary, Del'Annunziata church dome, S. S. Rosario church, Ipogeo di Sotterra church. Feast of Saint Francis, May 1–4.[6]
People
Paola is the home of St. Francis of Paola and houses a Catholic sanctuary dedicated to the saint. It is also the birthplace of professional footballer Salvatore Miceli.
Transport
Paola railway station, opened in 1895, forms part of the Battipaglia–Reggio di Calabria railway, and is also a terminus of a secondary line, the Paola–Cosenza railway.
Twin towns
Frejus, France, since 1983
See also
- US Paolana
- Paola railway station
References
- "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Istat. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Istat. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- "The Italian Voice" (PDF). December 1, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-12-29. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
- {http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/1943/07/24.htm}%5B%5D
- {http://www.milhist.net/usaaf/mto43b.html}
- "Comuni Italiani". Retrieved April 23, 2010.