San Giovanni Monumental Complex

Opened in 1998 after a series of restorations and a new function, the San Giovanni Monumental Complex stands in Piazza Garibaldi, in the heart of the city of Catanzaro, on the ruins of the ancient Norman Castle built in the 11th century by Robert Guiscard to defend the territory from Saracen raids and partially destroyed in the 15th century. The same materials used to build the castle were used to construct the adjoining Church of SS. Giovanni Battista ed Evangelista, home to one of the city's most important confraternities: the Congrega dei Bianchi di Santa Croce (1563). Over the centuries, the building has changed its nature several times: it was a convent, then a hospital and finally a prison. Today, the San Giovanni Complex in Catanzaro is a symbol of the city's artistic and cultural life, a virtuous cycle that began with an exhibition dedicated to the painter Andrea Cefaly, followed the following year by a major exhibition of Mattia Preti's work.

An interesting fact? Beneath the San Giovanni Monumental Complex in Catanzaro lies a whole world! This is the underground Catanzaro, accessed through the famous San Giovanni Galleries, a series of tunnels dug into the limestone that run for a long stretch under Sangiovanni Hill. The galleries are steeped in local stories and legends about daring escapes and secret passages used by nobles to easily reach the church directly from their palaces. What is certain is that their origins are ancient and, throughout history, the underground tunnels have been used to move clandestinely from one part of the city to another, particularly during the Second World War. Today, the tunnels can be visited on request and often host special events.