Simeri Crichi

The municipality of Simeri Crichi extends over 47 km², from the foothills of the Presila to the Ionian coast, and is divided into three areas: Crichi, the administrative center founded in the 18th century; Simeri, a medieval village with archaeological finds from the Iron Age and the Magna Graecia period; and Simeri Mare, a coastal area popular with tourists. Inhabited since the Neolithic era, it was a Byzantine fief and hosted a Capuchin convent and a bishop’s seat, now corresponding to the Collegiate Church. It is the birthplace of Bartolomeo di Simeri, a Greek-Calabrian monk and founder of the Pathirion monastery in Rossano. Today, the municipality includes an industrial area with a biomass power plant, a historic town band, and an active AVIS blood donation center. Rich in artists, it preserves strong religious traditions, including the Feast of St. Nicholas in May, followed by celebrations for St. Sebastian and the Madonna Addolorata “della Cona,” the most heartfelt by the community.