#mileto

Mileto, Calabria, Italy

According to tradition, the ancient city was founded by Greek fugitives from Miletus (Miletos in Greek; hence the name) in Anatolia, which had been destroyed by Darius.

However, the history of Mileto is inextricably linked to the Norman conquest of southern Italy. Already the seat of a fortified Byzantine town, Mileto was granted by Robert Guiscard to his brother Roger I (1058), who made it the center of the Norman county of Calabria. Mileto was the first Latin diocese in southern Italy. In Mileto Ruggero founded the abbey of the SS. Trinità, one of the largest and most important monasteries of the Italian Middle Ages.

The archaeological park, which includes the monumental remains of ancient Miletus, is located a few kilometers away from the current city, and represents the first example of a medieval park in Calabria.

The site of the ancient city was abandoned in 1783 following the well-known earthquake that devastated all of Calabria. Inside the park there are the monumental remains of ancient Mileto, such as the foundation levels of the Abbey of the SS Trinità and the city walls.

Housed inside the bishop's palace, the National Museum, however, houses a precious collection of ancient and medieval marbles, ceramics, sacred furnishings and paintings that tell the story of the ancient city of Miletus destroyed in 1783

Photos by @iresole

PUERTA ROMANA DEL MERCADO DE MILETO - TURQUÍA

PORTA DEL MERCATO ROMANO DI MILETO - TURCHIA

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In ancient times it was located near the mouth of the Meander River, 180 km from the city of Pergamon (Turkey). Miletus was a city of merchants and therefore its market was very important and was located in a square in the center of the city. The Roman style gate was built in 120 A.D. when the Roman Emperor Hadrian ruled and corresponded to the southern entrance of the Market of Miletus. Later, in the 6th century, Emperor Justinian ordered the construction of a city wall around the city of Miletus and the Market Gate was part of the wall. It is one of the best known examples of Roman architectural facades.

Today the Market Gate of Miletus is in the Pergamon Museum, as it appears in the image, in the room dedicated to Roman architecture and is the best preserved piece in the entire museum.

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Antiguamente se encontraba cerca de la desembocadura del río Meandro a 180 km de la ciudad de Pérgamo (Turquía). Mileto era una ciudad de comerciantes y por eso su mercado era muy importante y se encontraba en una plaza del centro de la ciudad. La Puerta de estilo romano fue construida en el año 120 d.C. cuando gobernaba el emperador romano Adriano y correspondía a la entrada sur del Mercado de Mileto. Más tarde, en el s.VI, el emperador Justiniano ordenó construir una muralla alrededor de la ciudad de Mileto y la Puerta del Mercado formó parte de la muralla. Es uno de los ejemplos más conocidos de fachadas arquitectónicas romanas.

Hoy en día la Puerta del Mercado de Mileto se encuentra en el Museo de Pérgamo, tal como aparece en la imagen, en la sala dedicada a la arquitectura romana y es la pieza mejor conservada de todo el museo.

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Nell'antichità si trovava vicino alla foce del fiume Meandro, a 180 km dalla città di Pergamo (Turchia). Mileto era una città di mercanti e quindi il suo mercato era molto importante e si trovava in una piazza nel centro della città. La porta in stile romano fu costruita nel 120 d.C. durante il regno dell'imperatore romano Adriano e corrispondeva all'ingresso meridionale del mercato di Mileto. Più tardi, nel VI secolo, l'imperatore Giustiniano ordinò la costruzione di una cinta muraria intorno alla città di Mileto, di cui la Porta del Mercato faceva parte. È uno degli esempi più noti di facciata architettonica romana.

Mileto, Calabria, Italy

According to tradition, the city was founded by Greek fugitives from Miletus (Miletos in Greek; hence the name) in Anatolia, which had been destroyed by Darius.

Mileto was a Norman stronghold under Roger I of Sicily, the last great leader of the Norman conquest of southern Italy. He died here in 1101. Roger's son, Simon, Count of Sicily, died in the town in 1105, when he was 12 years old.

Simon's brother and successor Roger II was born here in 1095. He began his rule as Count of Sicily in 1105 and later became Duke of Apulia and Calabria in 1127. He became the first King of Sicily in 1130.

In 1807 it was the location of the Battle of Mileto between the French and Neapolitan armies.

The Museum of Mileto exhibits an important art collection, set on two floors, with works dating from the late Imperial period to the 19th Century. The rooms on the ground floor show roman materials as well as medieval artefacts . Fragments of stained glass and capitals of Norman art (11th-12th Century) are of particular interest. The first room on the upper floor is dedicated to the monumental sarcophaguses of Roger and Giovanna D’Aquino. The other rooms on the first floor are dedicated to a rich section of Holy Art. It is possible to admire silk clerical garments, many silver artefacts, an ivory crucifix by Alessandro Algardi, a famous 17th Century sculptor, and some devotional paintings.

Mileto (Militu in Calabrese) è un Comune i cui abitanti sono detti Miletesi e fa parte della Provincia di Vibo Valentia (VV) in Calabria ed è situato su una collina di forma allungata ad Est del gruppo montuoso del Monte Poro, a Sud del Capoluogo. Mileto, denominata la «CAPITALE NORMANNA» per l’importante ruolo ricoperto in quel particolare periodo storico, è un piccolo borgo situato in un’area…