Catanzaro is situated on a spur of rock at 320 metres sea level rise which rapidly slopes down to the Ionic coast on the Gulf of Squillace. It is made up of two distinct parts: the old town center with it’s narrow winding streets and the residential area which stretches to hills. It’s origins date back to the IX century and was founded by the Bizantines. It is also called “the city of the three Vs”, “vento (wind), vitaliano (patron saint) and velluti (silk velvet). Wind because it lies on the isthmus between the Ionian sea and the Tyrrhenian sea and therefore in a very windy position, Vitaliano is the name of the patron saint and velvet because it was famous for it’s silk from the 11th. century.