Shrine of Santa Maria dell'Isola

The rock of Santa Maria dell'Isola is now a tourist icon of Calabria. The Church has medieval origins, perhaps earlier eleventh century: according to the local historian Francesco Sergio, it goes back to the  Basilian community named "Menna", who administered a "cell" dedicated to the Madonna. At a later time, as other places, this Church has passed to the Cassinesi Benedictines. The flight of steps to the Church, obtained directly into the rock, was completed only in the nineteenth century, before there was a ramp flanked by the rocky-church of St. Leonard and other small caves (dug by local sailors as warehouses to store the fishing equipment). 

The interior of the Church housed some medieval tombs: that of the "Master of Miletus", an other one, with the figures of the Ecce Homo and two female, and a third Byzantine. Over the centuries, the Church has suffered several changes (in addition to the damages of earthquakes), which overlapped the original central Byzantine plant to the basilica plant with three naves and barrel vault.