Things to do in Calabria, Italy: The Best Art Museums

Animated representation of Tropea in Miniature. free admission for all. Do not miss the beautiful attraction that reminds us of the ancient crafts lost.

Opened on October 7th, 2010, the Diocesan Museum "Monsignor Aurelio Sorrentino" of Reggio Calabria is located on the ground floor of the archiepiscopal Palace built at the end of the 18th century next to the Cathedral of Maria SS.ma Assunta. The works of art are exhibited in thematically arranged locations: the first one is dedicated to the Fragments of the memory, with marble belonging to the ancient Cathedral from the 17th to the 19th century; the next is dedicated to the Celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, where visitors can see a reconstruction of an exceptional altar with original frontals and sacred vessels generally used for the Eucharist. A further location is dedicated to the Art for the Liturgy, with liturgical objects used for aspersion, censing, reading and preaching. Another important section is dedicated to the Treasure of the Cathedrals, where valuable sacred silverwares dating from the 16th to the 20th century are exhibited; one location is dedicated to the different insignia of the dignity and role of the Bishop, where the role of the single prelates as clients is clearly pointed out. Then, the section regarding the relation between Art and Devotion with furnishings, fittings and liturgical vestments belonged to the Confraternities of Reggio and last, but not least, the location dedicated to Art and Cult of Saints, with reliquaries and a collection of sacred images.The most important exhibited works of art are: the Resurrection of Lazar assumed to be by the Neapolitan painter Francesco De Mura, apprentice of Francesco Solimena (3rd decade of the 18th century); the Radial Monstrance painted by Francesco Jerace from Polistena, for the Regional Eucharistic Conference in Reggio Calabria in 1928; the Reliquary of the arm of St. John Theriste from the 18th century, which was given to monsignor Marcantonio Contestabile, bishop of Bova from 1669 to 1699, by Apollinare Agresta, the abbot of the Italian-Greek monastery in Stilo; the Pastoral cross staff of monsignor Antonio de Ricci, archbishop of Reggio from 1453 to 1490, a valuable old piece of silverware and enamelware in Neapolitan-school style; a Crucifix in ivory donated to the Cathedral by the archbishop Alessandro Tommasini; valuable precious handmade textiles which belonged to the Immaculate Confraternity, found in the church of SS. Annunziata; one of them is an altar-hanging made of silk brocade, made by a Lyionese manufacture (during the beginning of the 18th century); two silver crowns dating back to 1614 and belonging to the Renaissance marble bust of the Virgin Mary with Child, kept in the Con-Cathedral of the Virgin Mary Isodia in Bova; the 17th-century statue of St. John the Evangelist, the only work of art of a Calvary assumed to be by Fra' Diego da Careri and made for the Monastery of the Reformed Fathers of Reggio Calabria.

The Diocesan Museum and of the Codex contains the well-known greek illuminated gospel (one of the three illuminated gospels in the world), recognized world Heritage by the UNESCO on October 2015. It also contains countless artworks of different periods belonging to the Rossano-Cariati Diocese. It containts an interesting archeological find, known as the Greek mirror dating V Century B.C. The Museum is open everyday, except Monday, from 09.30 AM to 12.30 AM (in summer until 13.00 PM) and from 15.00 PM to 18.00 PM (in summer 16.30-20.30). On bank holidays and Sundays in winter times from 10-12 AM and 16-18 PM.

The Taverna Civic Museum is housed in the former Convent of S. Domenico, dating back to 1464, with the church of S. Domenico joined. The cloister leads to the ticket office, an ancient apothecary of the Dominican Fathers, that preserves the original ornaments. The current exhibition route , founded in 1989, goes from the latest visual researches of the past century, until the seventeenth century. The core of valuable work, from the XVIII to the XVII century, comes from churches and convents of Taverna and from private collections.Among the artists, we remember: Mattia Preti, born in Taverna in 1613, famous exponent of 600’ baroque painting, his brother Gregorio, Luca Giordano, Antonio De Bellis , Giovan Battista Spinelli and the Sarnelli Brothers. In 2005 the Museum was expanded with the establishment of the Contemporary Art Gallery, that exhibits in the current structure artifacts, including drawings, paintings, sculptures, of Italian art and Calabrian authors.