Cosenza

Cosenza is a small city and comune in southern Italy, located at the confluence of two rivers: the Busento and the Crathis. The municipal population is of around 70,000. The urban area, however, counts over 260,000 inhabitants.

Thanks to its cultural past, Cosenza was known in antiquity as the Athens of Calabria. The Cosentian Academy, for example, was one of the very first academies to be founded in Europe. To this day, the city remains an important cultural centre with several museums, theatres, numerous libraries, and the University of Calabria.

Cosenza stands 238 m above sea level in a valley between the Sila plateau and the coastal range of mountains. The old town, overshadowed by its castle, descends to the river Crathis; whereas the growing modern city lies to the north, beyond the Busento, on level ground.