The Strongoli Castle in Calabria (Italy). An opportunity for cultural tourism and historic center regeneration

The castle of Strongoli, in the Crotone province (I), is located on a hill close to the historic center of the city. The first building dates back to the Magna Graecia era, when the city was called Petelia and was one of the most interesting and evolved in Calabria. Destroyed and rebuilt many times, with several modifications made over the centuries, the fortress today presents itself as a building of considerable architectural-monumental value. In the paper, after a brief reconstruction of the historical events, the attention is focused on the current structural characteristics and on the conservation and restoration issues. Some peculiarities of the castle are highlighted which enhance its historical-monumental value. The second part of the text reveals the potential of the building in terms of reuse opportunities, cultural tourist attraction, driving factor for the regeneration of the whole adjacent historic centre. The historical and technical analysis extends to other aspects considered important such as a regular maintenance action of the building complex, the relationship with the surrounding area, the improvement of accessibility, the inclusion in cultural tourism tours capable of boosting economic activities (guided tours, hiking, artistic events, cultural meetings).