page_title: Bagnara Calabra
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Bagnara Calabra / History
caption_attribution_description: Italiano: Fonte Garibaldi This is a photo of a monument which is part of cultural heritage of Italy. This monument participates in the contest Wiki Loves Monuments Italia 2015. See authorisations. (wiki-ID: 0800075415)
context_page_description: Bagnara Calabra is a comune in the Province of Reggio Calabria in Calabria, southern Italy. It is located in the hills facing the Tyrrhenian Sea on the southern tip of the region, about 100 kilometres southwest of Catanzaro and about 25 kilometres northeast of Reggio Calabria.
context_section_description: The first organized village for which we have historical proof was around 1085 AD, with edification of "S. Mary's V.G. and XII Apostles Abbey Nullius" ordered by Roger I of Sicily.
  Other historical assumptions supported by indirect proofs allow dating much further back, to being directly connected with Mamertini (sons of war-god Mars), following the First Punic War.
  Supporting this theory, ancient coins with the likeness of Mars were discovered and documented in this area around 1800.
  Roman presence is historically proven by the ancient "Via Capua-Regium", also known as Via Popilia, built in 132 BC, through Bagnara's territory.
  During the Roman era, the village was known as "Balnearum", at that time a thermal spring used by Romans.
  Others claim that Bagnara was founded by Phoenicia around the 8th century BC, but there's no archaeological proof supporting this theory.
  Since 1130 AD, Bagnara was part of the Kingdom of Sicily established by Roger II.
  The village was almost completely destroyed by the 1783 Calabrian earthquakes and tsunami. It is recorded as the most powerful in the area, killing 59% of the population and collapsing the Abbey Nullius.
  The only evidence left of a late-eighteenth century building is Carmine's Church, which was rebuilt after the earthquakes.
  On 24 August 1860 followed by ten official Giuseppe Garibaldi fighting for Italian unification reached Bagnara where they were host by a member of the National Guard.
  In the past the name was just Bagnara, but after the 1861 and unification of Italy, it became Bagnara Calabra to distinguish it from Bagnara di Romagna.
  Bagnara was also heavily hit by the 1908 Messina earthquake.
  During World War II Bagnara Calabra was involved in operations in southern Italy,
  which began the Allied invasion of Italy.
  Starting 21 July 1943, some parts of the village were lightly bombed by the Allies, in order to attack Wehrmacht forces that were preparing to retreat.Albert Kesselring and his staff strategically chose not to defend Calabria, leaving only the 29th Panzergrenadier Division's 15th Panzergrenadier Regiment, and began the German retreat.
  On 3 September, most of this unit was in prepared positions at Bagnara, some 40 km (25 mi) from the landings which it had orders to hold until 6 September.
  On 3 September 1943 the British Eighth Army's XIII Corps, composed of the 1st Canadian and British 5th Infantry Divisions and commanded by Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey, launched Operation Baytown under General Bernard Montgomery's direction.                                             
  At 4:30 AM on 4 September 1943 the retreating Germans blew up the Caravilla Bridge.
  On 4 September, the British 5th Infantry Division reached Bagnara Calabra.
  Bagnara preserves evidence of this British presence since the rail station area of the village is commonly known as Rione Inglese (English Quarter).
  Historical monument
   
  The Aragonese Tower or Capo Rocchi Tower, locally known as Roger's Tower, was built in the 15th and 16th centuries.
  It is located in the historic fishermen district known as Marinella.
  In ancient times the Tower was known as the "32nd Tower of the Calabria Ulterior".
  It was built as a part of a military system of several watchtowers to guard against the incursions of Saracens along the Tyrrhenian coast.
  Bridge of Caravilla -built on 1825- is a monumental stone bridge, which is notably passing thrice.
  This Bridge is famous for a distinctive trait. It is probably the only one in Italy (perhaps on the World),
  since the same road cross the same bridge (passing down to two arches and turning up the bridge) three times.
  It is a part of Strada statale 18 Tirrena Inferiore.
  After being blown up by German mines on 4 September 1943, the bridge was rebuilt in 1943 by the Allies with the cooperation of the women of Bagnara Calabra.
  Fonte Garibaldi
  A popular legend relate that Garibaldi stopped twice to drink water on the same fountain.
  A Palladian style fountain was edificated on 1866 in order to remember Garibaldi in Bagnara.
  Audere Semper
  In the central square of the village is l
caption: Fonte Garibaldi
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