Crotone (Italy)

Crotone is a port city located on Calabria's east coast, in southern Italy and on Ionian Sea. Crotone's history dates back from 2700 years. It was founded by the Greeks around 710 BC under the name Kroton (or Croton) as one of their major colonial settlements of Ancient Greece.

In 1992, Crotone became the capital of the newly established Crotone Province. The town has population of around 63,000 and covers a total area of 180 km2 (69 ml2). The city's location (between Messina and Taranto) favored its industrial development. Its population doubled in the 1930s. However, after the main employers, Montedison and Pertusola Sud, collapsed by the late 1980s, the city was in economic crisis, with plenty of residents losing jobs and leaving in order to find work elsewhere. A flood dealt a further blow in 1996. Since that low point, the city underwent urban renewal and rose in quality-of-life rankings.

Crotone was famous for the School of Medicine and the achievements of city's athletes, who won a lot of honours at the Olympic Games in Greece. Main sights in Crotone include the Cathedral, originally from 9th-11th century but largely rebuilt, 16th century Castle of Charles V housing the Town Museum featuring findings excavated in the ancient Kroton and Le Castella, an ancient castle built on an island. Crotone hosts the national archaeological museum, as well as a municipal museum, municipal art gallery, provincial museum of contemporary art and Antiquarium di Torre Nao.

Crotone is also a good base for nearby beaches, the fortifies hilltop town of Santa Severina with the Norman castle and the Greek ruins at Capo Colonna. In recent time port of Crotone has been used by tourists on yacht charter cruising vacations.