Africo

Africo, the dual nature of the land of the forgotten
Comune-africo_nuovo

Town

Jan 22, 2024 10:36 AM

The town of Africo is divided into two parts located at a considerable distance from one another. The first of the two is made up by a small cluster of houses located in the town of Bianco while the second is located on the slopes of Aspromonte, amidst the ruins of the villages of Africo Vecchio and Casalnuovo.

The new town is located just a few metres above sea level, on the edge of a small plain overlooking the Ionian Sea. Africo Vecchio, instead, rises on the left slope of Vallone Casalnuovo, within the Aspromonte National Park.

Africo's old town seems governed by laws other than mundane, and everything seems suspended in a limbo of dazzling light.

The disastrous floods of the last few days of October 1951 that devastated almost the entire centre of Africo Vecchio and Casalinuovo were the cause that forced its inhabitants, following makeshift accommodation and various tribulations, to found a new town closer to the sea. The few remains of what once was Casalinuovo can be found on a cliff, near Africo Vecchio to the right of the Aposcipo stream. Traces of Greek origins can still be found today in its language, even if mixed with the local dialect. Like Africo, Casalinuovo was also severely damaged by the floods of 1951. The town's name seems to derive from "Afrikos", i.e. exposed to the sun. Africo's beach both enchanting and unspoilt, boasts a famous cliff. Africo was recently featured in the movie “Aspromonte, la terra degli ultimi” (Aspromonte, land of the forgotten) by Calabrian director Mimmo Calopresti, presented at the Taormina Film Fest.

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