Identity: Oenotrians and Bruttians, the Crati–Busento confluence and the Madonna del Pilerio
The municipal statute traces Cosenza back to the Oenotrians and Bruttians, shows in its coat of arms the seven hills and the confluence of the Busento with the Crati, and names the Madonna del Pilerio as patron. The italia.it portal recalls its title of «Athens of Italy», linked to Parrasio, founder of the Accademia Cosentina, and to Telesio, and contrasts the old and new towns.
Sections: Geography · History · Population · Languages · Time zone · Public holidays
Origins and symbols
The statute, approved by council resolution no. 21 of 28 June 2021 and amended in 2023, traces the city's founding back to the time of the Oenotrians and the Bruttians (Brettii). The coat of arms shows, on a blue field, the seven hills around the city and two rivers joined in a Y shape: the confluence of the Busento with the Crati. The banner (gonfalone) accompanies the mayor at the religious feast of the Madonna del Pilerio, the city's patron; the city council meets in the Palazzo civico in piazza dei Bruzi.
The «Athens of Italy»
The national tourism portal italia.it calls Cosenza the «Athens of Italy» because it was the birthplace of Parrasio, the humanist who founded the Accademia Cosentina in the early 16th century, and of Bernardino Telesio, philosopher of nature. The statute commits the municipality to protecting the Accademia cosentina and the civic library and to promoting the city's Risorgimento patriotic tradition.
Old town and new town
According to italia.it the old town spreads along the banks of the Crati, on the hills at its confluence with the Busento, while the new town grew on the plain from the last decades of the 19th century on a regular grid. Along corso Mazzini, the main street, the MAB – Museo all'Aperto Bilotti displays reproductions of works of art. The statute treats the historic centre as a heritage to be restored and enhanced.
Data
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-22
Updated: 2026-10-22
Reviewed: 10/23/2026 · by piero.avolio · rev. 1 · Period: → 2027-10-31
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