Delianuova is a town located in the province of Reggio Calabria. It was officially established on January 27, 1878, through the merger of two ancient municipalities, Pedavoli and Paracorio. The origins of these settlements trace back to the era of Saracen raids, which forced many coastal inhabitants to seek refuge in safer, inland territories.
The name “Delianuova” suggests a profound connection to Greek culture, likely derived from Delos, the sacred island of Ancient Greece. This connection is supported by historical records, such as the 1598 writings of Bishop A. Canuto, which describe the area as “oppida sive casales graecorum” (“towns or villages of the Greeks”). In fact, the Greek language remained in use within both villages until at least the 17th century.
During the wave of barbarian and subsequent Saracen invasions, coastal populations—originally settled near Tauriana—fled toward the hinterland. They founded the first settlement of Dapidalbon. The name stems from the Greek words dàpeon (house floor/village) and aùlion (stable), representing the ancient toponym of modern-day Pedavoli.
Around the mid-9th century, inhabitants fleeing the ancient city of Delia on the southern Ionian coast (near present-day Bova Marina) crossed the Aspromonte massif to escape Saracen raids. They settled in the upper Duverso Valley, near the existing village of Dapidalbon. The area was named Perachorio, meaning "the village beyond the mountains" (though some suggest the derivation παρα κοριον, or "settlement near a village"). This historical narrative is evidenced by the inscription NOS GENS DELIA found on a fountain in Paracorio—which was later destroyed in 1783—and the long-standing tradition of shared religious celebrations between the residents of Pedavoli, Paracorio, and Bova.
The existence of Dapidalbon is first confirmed in four private donation deeds, the oldest dated 1051, made to the Bishop of Oppido. These documents reveal an organized settlement featuring water mills and extensive grain cultivation, suggesting that Pedavoli likely existed well before the destruction of Tauriana (951–952).
The year 1061 marked the consolidation of Norman control over Calabria. The region was divided between Robert, Duke of Calabria, and his brother Roger, Count of Calabria. Their seat of power in Mileto eventually absorbed the Bishoprics of Vibo and Tauriana.
Following Charles I of Anjou's defeat of Manfredi (son of Frederick II) in 1266, Calabria fell under Angevin rule. During this time, the territory of Pedavoli and Paracorio was granted to the noble Ruffo di Sinopoli family.
On February 26, 1443, Alfonso V of Aragon made his triumphant entry into Naples, declaring the unification of the Kingdom of Sicily and the Kingdom of Naples, thus beginning the era of Aragonese rule.
The fiefdom of Santa Cristina and its surrounding hamlets (Casali), which included both Pedavoli and Paracorio, was separated from the Lordship of Sinopoli. Control passed to the Spinelli family of Seminara, who had been granted the estate of Seminara by Emperor Ferrante.
Following the War of the Spanish Succession in 1707, the Kingdom of Naples fell under Austrian control. Emperor Charles VI of Habsburg subsequently became the King of Naples.
The ascension of Charles III of Bourbon to the Neapolitan throne in 1734 marked the beginning of Bourbon rule over the Kingdom of Naples and the Calabria region.
A cataclysmic earthquake in 1783, known locally as "u fracellu" (the scourge), completely leveled Paracorio and severely damaged Pedavoli. The reconstruction effort spanned the following years, shifting the layout of the towns toward the south and southwest. Paracorio was rebuilt in an area called "Misurace," while Pedavoli expanded from the "San Francesco" district—where a few structures had survived the quake—eventually spreading toward higher ground.
In the wake of the French Revolution, Ferdinand IV of Bourbon joined the anti-French coalition in November 1798 and marched his army to Rome. Defeated, he was forced to retreat to Sicily. On January 21, 1799, the Parthenopean Republic was proclaimed, and both Pedavoli and Paracorio were integrated into the Canton of Seminara.
Following years of conflict between French and Spanish forces, Joseph Bonaparte (Napoleon’s brother) was named King of Naples in 1806. This initiated the French military occupation and brought an end to the centuries-long rule of the Spinelli family.
In 1807, a devastating fire—suspected to be arson—swept through Paracorio. More than 200 temporary wooden homes built after the 1783 earthquake were completely destroyed.
Following a decade of French rule, the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo led to Ferdinand of Bourbon reclaiming the throne of Naples. Delianuova, along with the rest of Calabria, became part of the newly established Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
The two small municipalities were deeply entangled in the Risorgimento (the Italian Unification). While the local municipal guards supported the Bourbon regime, others risked their lives for freedom. In September 1847, guards from Pedavoli killed the patriot Giandomenico Romeo, parading his severed head through the streets of Reggio. Conversely, Francesco Antonio Leuzzi, alongside Benedetto Musolino, founded the local branch of "I Figlioli della Giovine Italia" (Sons of Young Italy).
Musolino's Garibaldian troops reached Pedavoli and Paracorio on the feast day of August 15, 1860. Historical accounts vary: some record them being welcomed with banquets and dancing, while others report looting in Pedavoli. Later, following the clash on August 29, 1862, Domenico Soffrè (the mayor of Pedavoli) provided medical aid to a wounded Garibaldi and his redshirts, receiving a telescope as a personal token of gratitude from the General. Italian unification brought the annexation of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, officially ending Bourbon rule.
The year 1877 was marked by intense internal political struggles within Pedavoli and Paracorio, as local factions clashed over whether the two rival municipalities should merge or remain separate.
(Image from the private collection of Dr. Raffaele Leuzzi)
By Royal Decree, published on March 6, 1878 (Official Gazette of the Kingdom, No. 54), the formal unification of Pedavoli and Paracorio was officially approved.
On May 1, 1878, the newly unified municipality officially adopted the name Delianuova.
(Image from the private collection of Dr. Raffaele Leuzzi)
An earthquake struck the area in 1894, causing the dome of the Church of the Assunta to collapse. The church was later rebuilt adjacent to its original site.
(Image from the private collection of Dr. Raffaele Leuzzi)
Just fourteen years after the previous disaster, Delianuova was completely flattened by a massive 7.1 magnitude earthquake—the same historic quake that devastated Reggio Calabria and Messina.
A long, grueling reconstruction period followed. To house the displaced population, temporary barracks (baracche) were set up across various areas of the town. Leading up to the post-WWII era, Delianuova endured harsh times, transitioning slowly from temporary shelters back to permanent stone housing as the town center was rebuilt.
(Image from the private collection of the Papalia Family)
Following World War I and during the Fascist era, the town saw new urban developments, including the construction of the Kindergarten and the Casa del Fascio (located in what is now Piazza Leuzzi). High on a hill that previously held only the WWI Memorial, a new town hall (Palazzo Comunale) was erected.
In 1957, Mayor Vocisano launched a project to build a modern school complex. This required creating a new road artery intersecting Via Umberto and Via Roma. To make way for the project, the Dito family home was demolished, giving birth to what is now Via Carmelia and the "Quadrivio" intersection—the modern heart of the town. The municipality provided three new homes for the three Dito sons (Felice, Enrico, and Giovanni) at the beginning of Via Carmelia, while the new school complex was built just a hundred meters away.
Delianuova today: Known as the "Gateway to the Aspromonte" and the "Town of Green Stone."
(Photo by Giampiero Licastro)
Pedavoli
Paracorio
I SAMBARI A DELIANUOVA (RC) Thanks to: Video produced by: Antonella Serrao and Domenico Gioffrè Associazione Mediterranea Contacts:
A news report by Rai journalist Dr. Annarosa Macrì, featuring footage by Pino Anfuso, broadcast in 2004 on the program...
Traduzione Originale Traduzione in Italiano Capitolo XXXII. Aspromonte, la Calamita delle Nuvole Tratto da OLD CALABRIA di NORMAN DOUGLAS (1915)...
In Delianuova, “green stone” (pietra verde) constitutes a geological heritage that has shaped local architecture and art over the centuries....
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