The town between the rocks: Civita

Defined as 'the town among the rocks', Civita is a town nestled in the great valley of the Pollino National Park. Since 1472 the city of Civita has become an Albanian land of refuge, in fact it still does not preserve the customs and traditions of the Albanian people, such as the language and religious rites. After the death of their hero and patriot Scanderberg was forced to flee the motherland. Arriving in Civita, the Albanian people dedicated themselves to their religious faith, a link that united the community. The guardian of the Greek-Byzantine rite is the church dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, the Greek-Byzantine rite is one of the fundamental elements of the Civitese community. The rite differs from the Latin one for the ceremonial and the ways in which the faith is interpreted. The iconostasis has the function of dividing the altar from the rest of the church in the center there are the 12 conics, which represent the 12 most important feasts of the year. The wrought iron chandelier depicts the 12 apostles. Equally important are the chapel of Sant'Antonio where the feast of the saint is celebrated on 13 June and the chapel of the Madonna della Consolazione. Around the gjitonia remain the codra, particular stone houses with small symmetrical windows. To surmount the characteristic 'face houses' remain the chimneys, an expression of the particular talent of the craftsmen of the past, which had the function of representing the prestige of the family. Interesting are the hanging ovens that are still present on the oldest houses today. One of the attractions of the pollino national park is the devil's bridge, which with its 36m and with a single arch was considered by the ancients an architectural work impossible to build and therefore built by Lucifer. Trekking is the main activity to be carried out on the spot, thanks to the numerous paths accompanied by expert guides you can practice canyoning in the Raganello gorges. Particles is the Arbresh Ethnic Museum, which keeps alive the history of the city, the history of traditions and tools used for agriculture. The costume room houses the traditional Civitese wedding dress, a family treasure that has been handed down from generation to generation and which today is worn in the typical festival of the city that keeps the traditions of the Arbresh world alive. The Borgo Turistico Consortium of Civita is responsible for providing tourist services, starting from the hotel up to the transfers and excursion guides. The secret of Civita's success in tourism is due to the maintenance of the Arbresh culture.