Piazza dei Valdesi
At the foot of Corso Telesio
Until 1898 it was called Piazza Fontananova, after its 17th-century fountain. The name recalls the repression of the Waldensians of Calabria in 1561: according to a letter of 27 June four or five prisoners were burned here, while other studies speak of dozens.
The story
Corso Telesio begins here, where an old bridge once crossed the Busento and one of the city gates stood. Until 1898 the square was called Fontananova, after a large fountain built in the 1600s, so the name honouring the Waldensians came long after the events it recalls. When the square was redesigned as a pedestrian space in 2004, the name stayed. The bridge beside it, rebuilt in 1948, was once known as the bridge of San Domenico.
The Waldensians, followers of Peter Waldo, had reached Calabria in the fourteenth century and lived at Montalto Uffugo, San Sisto and Guardia. In June 1561 they were struck by a repression led by the inquisitor Valerio Malvicino and by the viceroy's troops: at Montalto, on 11 June, between 86 and 88 were killed. In Cosenza the prisoners were held in the castle; a letter of 27 June speaks of four or five sent to the stake in this square, with more burnings planned. The overall number of victims remains uncertain.
What to look for
From the square you can see the bridge over the Busento, rebuilt in 1948 and named after Mario Martire. Corso Telesio starts here and climbs through the old town to Piazza XV Marzo, opposite Villa Vecchia.
In the story
History & Culture. The historic and architectural heritage of the old town, without the textbook tone.
Before you go
Opening hours and entrances can change: check on Google Maps or on the spot before you set off.
The old town is explored on foot and has a few climbs: how to get here and around.
Sources
Texts built on public sources. Where sources disagree we say so; if you spot a mistake or have an extra document, write to us.
- Storia antica e recente di piazza Valdesi e del ponte Mario Martire - Comune di Cosenza (8 marzo 2004) in Italian comune.cosenza.it
- Inaugurata Piazza Valdesi - Comune di Cosenza in Italian comune.cosenza.it
- Strage dei Valdesi di Calabria - Wikipedia (cita Amabile e Stancati) in Italian it.wikipedia.org
- M. Fratini, Valdesi in Calabria, in 1561. I valdesi tra resistenza e sterminio (Claudiana, 2011) - Academia.edu in Italian academia.edu
- In Piemonte e in Calabria - 1561. I valdesi tra resistenza e sterminio (Società di Studi Valdesi) in Italian studivaldesi.org
- I valdesi nel sud Italia: repressione e resistenza a San Sisto - Fondazione Valdese in Italian lang.fondazionevaldese.org
- Repressione dei valdesi in Calabria e in Puglia (1560-1563) - Ereticopedia in Italian ereticopedia.org
- Gli ultramontani (E. Stancati, 2008) - Luigi Pellegrini Editore in Italian pellegrinieditore.it
- Risalendo Corso Telesio - Esplorazioni cosentine in Italian esplorazionicosentine.wordpress.com
- Cosenza, la città dei ponti - Esplorazioni cosentine in Italian esplorazionicosentine.wordpress.com
- Corso Telesio - Touring Club Italiano in Italian touringclub.it
- La villa vecchia di Cosenza, da giardino di delizia a Parco Comunale - Ladri di polvere (G. Baffa) in Italian ladridipolvere.wordpress.com
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