Stilo ( Calabrian : Stilu ; Greek : Στύλος , romanized : Stylos , lit. 'column') is a town and comune in the province of Reggio Calabria , in the Calabria region of southern Italy . It is 151 kilometres (94 mi) from Reggio .
31-601: It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy"). The economy of the commune is mainly based on agriculture, with production of cereals, oil , wine and cheese. There are mines of iron and lead . At 10 kilometres (6 mi) from the city is the promontory of Cape Stilo , near where in July 1940 the Battle of Punta Stilo was fought by the Italian and British navies . The origins of Stilo are connected to
62-621: A dark bread made with rye, and honey. Notable dishes include Carbonnade , similar to the Belgian dish of the same name consisting of salt-cured beef cooked with onions and red wine served with polenta; breaded veal cutlets called costolette ; teuteuns , salt-cured cow's udder that is cooked and sliced; and steak à la valdôtaine , a steak with croûtons , ham and melted cheese. Aosta Valley has many small and picturesque villages, three of them have been selected by I Borghi più belli d'Italia (English: The most beautiful Villages of Italy ),
93-564: A low summer average but mild winters, sometimes above −3 °C (27 °F), especially near lakes, or a more severe cold continental climate, with a very low winter average. Temperature averages in Plateau Rosa , at 3,400 m (11,200 ft) high, are −11.6 °C (11.1 °F) in January and 1.4 °C (34.5 °F) in July. It is the coldest place in Italy where the climate is verifiable. In
124-426: Is Mont Blanc (4,810 m or 15,780 ft). This makes it the highest region in Italy, according to the list of Italian regions by highest point . The valleys, usually above 1,600 m (5,200 ft), annually have a cold continental climate ( Dfc ). In this climate, the snow season is very long, as long as 8 or 9 months at the highest points. During the summer, mist occurs almost every day. These areas are
155-486: Is a mountainous autonomous region in northwestern Italy . It is bordered by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes , France , to the west; by Valais , Switzerland , to the north; and by Piedmont , Italy, to the south and east. The regional capital is Aosta . Covering an area of 3,263 km (1,260 sq mi) and with a population of about 128,000, it is the smallest, least populous, and least densely populated region of Italy. The province of Aosta having been dissolved in 1945,
186-721: Is a non-profit private association of small Italian towns of strong historical and artistic interest, that was founded in March 2001 on the initiative of the Tourism Council of the National Association of Italian Municipalities, with the aim of preserving and maintaining villages of quality heritage. Its motto is Il fascino dell'Italia nascosta ("The charm of hidden Italy"). Founded to contribute to safeguarding, conserving and revitalizing small villages and municipalities, but sometimes even individual hamlets, which, being outside
217-507: Is also officially recognized. Italian is spoken as a mother tongue by 77.29% of the population, Valdôtain by 17.91%, and French by 1.25%. In 2009, reportedly 50.53% of the population could speak all three languages. The Aosta Valley is an Alpine valley which, with its tributary valleys, includes the Italian slopes of Mont Blanc , Monte Rosa , Gran Paradiso and the Matterhorn ; its highest peak
248-561: Is conducted evenly in French and Italian, so that anyone who has gone to school in the Aosta Valley can speak both languages to at least a medium-high level. Legal decree No.365 of 11 November 1946 (art.2) states that it is mandatory to know both Italian and French to teach in Aosta Valley's schools. According to Aosta Valley's autonomous status (art.39), the same quantity of hours of French and Italian teaching must be held. The decree No.861 of
279-415: Is not divided into provinces. Nevertheless, it is still divided into 74 comunes namely: The population density of Aosta Valley is by far the lowest of the Italian regions. In 2008, 38.9 inhabitants per km were registered in the region, whereas the average national figure was 198.8, though the region has extensive uninhabitable areas of mountain and glacier, with a substantial part of the population living in
310-541: Is the highest growth among the Italian regions. With a negative natural population growth, this is due exclusively to positive net migration. Between 2001 and 2011, the population of Aosta Valley grew by a further 7.07%. As of 2006 , the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) estimated that 4,976 foreign-born immigrants live in Aosta Valley, equal to 4.0% of the total regional population. The Valdôtain population and their language dialects have been
341-625: The Franconian line and built himself a commanding fortification at Bard . Saint Anselm of Canterbury was born in Aosta in 1033 or 1034. The region was divided among strongly fortified castles, and in 1191, Thomas I of Savoy found it necessary to grant to the communes a Charte des franchises ("Charter of Liberties") which preserved autonomy—rights that were fiercely defended until 1770, when they were revoked to tie Aosta more closely to Piedmont , but which were again demanded during post-Napoleonic times. In
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#1732844149840372-651: The Secondary education final exam , similar to the first test (in Italian). The regional language , known as patoué valdotèn or simply patoué ( patois valdôtain in French), is a dialectal variety of Franco-Provençal . It is spoken as a native and second language by 68,000 residents, or about 58% of the population according to a sociolinguistic survey carried out by the Fondation Émile Chanoux in 2001. The survey found that
403-417: The Aosta Valley region was the first region of Italy to abolish provincial subdivisions, followed by Friuli-Venezia Giulia in 2017 (where they were reestablished later). Provincial administrative functions are provided by the regional government. The region is divided into 74 comuni (French: communes ). The official languages are Italian and French ; Valdôtain , a dialect of Franco-Provençal ,
434-463: The Italian language was native to 77.29% of respondents, Franco-Provençal to 17.91%, and French to 1.25%, though the active use of these languages by the population shows French at 75.41% and Franco-Provençal at 55.77%. The population of Gressoney-Saint-Jean , Gressoney-La-Trinité and Issime , in the Lys Valley , speak two dialects of Walser German , Titsch and Töitschu respectively. According to
465-608: The President of the Republic of 31 October 1975 (art.5) states that it is mandatory to pass a French exam to teach in Aosta Valley for Italian native speakers, as well an Italian exam for French native speakers. Italian law No.196 of 16 May 1978 states the adaptation rules of national educational programmes into French for Aosta Valley, and states as well that all members of the examination boards must be fluent both in Italian and French. Aosta Valley students must pass an extra test in French at
496-421: The association meet the following requirements: integrity of the urban fabric, architectural harmony, livability of the village, artistic-historical quality of the public and private building heritage, services to the citizen as well as the payment of an annual membership fee. The association organizes initiatives within the villages, such as festivals, exhibitions, fetes , conferences and concerts that highlight
527-410: The central valley. Negative natural population growth since 1976 has been more than offset by immigration. The region has one of Italy's lowest birth rates , with a rising average age. This, too, is partly compensated by immigration, since most immigrants arriving in the region are younger people working in the tourist industry. Between 1991 and 2001, the population of Aosta Valley grew by 3.1%, which
558-486: The cultural, historical, gastronomic and linguistic heritage, involving residents, schools, and local artists. The club promotes numerous initiatives on the international market. In 2016, the association signed a global agreement with ENIT , to promote tourism in the most beautiful villages in the world. In 2017, the club signed an agreement with Costa Cruises for the enhancement of some villages, which are offered to cruise passengers arriving in Italian ports aboard
589-583: The destruction of the ancient Greek colony of Caulonia by Dionysius II of Syracuse , followed by another by the Campanians (allies of the Romans) in 277 BC. Not far from the town is the monastery of San Giovanni Theristis . This Calabrian location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . I Borghi pi%C3%B9 belli d%27Italia I Borghi più belli d'Italia ( Italian: [i ˈborɡi pju bˈbɛlli diˈtaːlja] )
620-457: The local Salassi around 25 BC and founded Augusta Prætoria Salassorum (modern-day Aosta) to secure the strategic mountain passes, and they went on to build bridges and roads through the mountains. Thus, the name Valle d'Aosta literally means "Valley of Augustus". In 1031–1032, Humbert I of Savoy , the founder of the House of Savoy , received the title Count of Aosta from Emperor Conrad II of
651-624: The main tourist circuits, they risk, despite their great value, being forgotten with consequent degradation, depopulation and abandonment. Initially the group included about a hundred villages, which subsequently grew up to 361 in 2023. In 2012, the Italian association was one of the founding members of the international association The Most Beautiful Villages in the World , a private organization that brings together various territorial associations promoting small inhabited centres of particular historical and landscape interest. The criteria for admission to
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#1732844149840682-620: The mid-13th century, Emperor Frederick II made the County of Aosta a duchy (see Duke of Aosta ), and its arms charged with a lion rampant were carried in the Savoy arms until the reunification of Italy in 1870. The region remained part of Savoy lands, with the exceptions of French occupations from 1539 to 1563, later in 1691, and then between 1704 and 1706. It was also ruled by the First French Empire between 1800 and 1814. During French rule, it
713-1418: The operator's ships. The regional subdivision of the villages members of the association is as follows: 31 in Marche and Umbria , 29 in Tuscany , 27 in Liguria , 26 in Abruzzo and Lombardy , 25 in Lazio , 24 in Sicily , 20 in Piedmont , 16 in Emilia-Romagna and Trentino-Alto Adige , 15 in Calabria , 14 in Apulia , 13 in Friuli-Venezia Giulia , 11 in Veneto and Campania , 9 in Sardinia and Basilicata , 4 in Molise and 3 in Aosta Valley . Aosta Valley The Aosta Valley ( French : Vallée d'Aoste [vale dɔst] ; Italian : Valle d'Aosta [ˈvalle daˈɔsta] ; Arpitan : Val d'Aoûta )
744-409: The past, above 3,500 m (11,500 ft), all months had an average temperature below freezing, with a perpetual frost climate (EF). In recent years, however, there has been a rise in temperatures. See, as an example, the data for Plateau Rosa. Early inhabitants of the Aosta Valley were Celts and Ligures , whose language heritage remains in some local placenames. Rome conquered the region from
775-435: The subject of some sociological research. The Aosta Valley was the first government authority to adopt Modern French as the official language in 1536, three years before France itself. Since 1946, Italian and French are the region's official languages and are used for the regional government's acts and laws, though Italian is much more widely spoken in everyday life, and French is mostly spoken in cultural life. Education
806-532: The survey, Walser German was spoken as a mother tongue by 207 people, or 17.78%, in these three villages. Nevertheless, it was known to 56.38% of the population. There are numerous medieval castles and fortified houses in the Aosta Valley, including Châtel-Argent , Saint-Pierre Castle , Fénis Castle , Issogne Castle , Bard Fort , Ussel Castle , Sarre Castle , Cly Castle , Verrès Castle , and Châtelard Castle . Savoy Castle in Gressoney-Saint-Jean
837-577: The valley has been dominated by autonomist regional parties such as the Valdostan Union , which represents the interests of the French-speaking population. The latest regional election was held in September 2020. On 2 March 2023, Renzo Testolin was elected regional president, supported by a coalition of autonomist and progressive lists. The Aosta Valley, being the smallest region of Italy by area,
868-535: The valley. It is found in dishes such as the soup à la vâpeuleunèntse ( Valpelline Soup). Other cheeses made in the region are Tomme de Gressoney and Seras. Fromadzo ( Valdôtain for cheese ) has been produced locally since the 15th century and also has PDO status. Regional specialities, besides Fontina, are Motzetta (dried chamois meat), Vallée d'Aoste Lard d'Arnad (a cured and brined fatback product with PDO designation), Vallée d'Aoste Jambon de Bosses (a kind of ham , likewise with PDO designation),
899-433: The wettest in the western Alps. Temperatures in January are low, between −7 and −3 °C (19 and 27 °F), and in July are between 20 and 35 °C (68 and 95 °F). Areas between 2,000 and 3,500 m (6,600 and 11,500 ft) usually have a tundra climate ( ET ), where every month has an average temperature below 10 °C (50 °F). This climate may be either a kind of more severe cold oceanic climate, with
930-490: Was conceived in the 19th century and completed in 1904. Since 1990, it has also been home to the Savoy Castle Alpine Botanical Garden . The cuisine of Aosta Valley is characterized by simplicity and revolves around "robust" ingredients such as potatoes, polenta ; cheese and meat; and rye bread . Many of the dishes involve Fontina , a cheese with PDO status, made from cow's milk that originates from
961-503: Was part of Aoste arrondissement in Doire department. As part of the Kingdom of Sardinia , it joined the new Kingdom of Italy in 1861. French forces briefly controlled the area at the end of World War II , but withdrew under British and American pressure. The region gained special autonomous status after the end of World War II; the province of Aosta ceased to exist in 1945. For decades,