Vena di Maida - The arbëreshë community of Vena.

The Albanians of Calabria, an ancient presence in Vena di Maida

The strong Albanian presence in Calabria dates back to the late 15th century as a result of the arrival of those who had been forced to leave the Balkan country in the face of the advance of the Turks into the Balkans. Their leader Giorgio Castriota, nom de guerre Scanderbeg, heroic protagonist resistance to the Islamic advance, gained his people the favor of the Church of Rome, which resulted in the granting of lands in various parts of Southern Italy, in Calabria, above all, but also in Puglia and Sicily.

A small country with a great history

The Albanians of Italy, the so-called arbëreshë, still have one of their most vibrant communities in Vena (Vjna), a hamlet of the Catanzaro municipality of Maida, in this case founded by Albanian soldiers who rushed to the aid of Alfondo of Aragon at the time of the Conjuring of the Barons. Known for this ethnic peculiarity, the town was visited by many of the Grand Tour travelers who pushed into the South. Among them was the Frenchman Alexandre Dumas, who described it in his Journey to Calabria.

The traditional women's costume, an Arbëreshë marvel

Having lost the Greek-Byzantine rite of its origins, Vena no less proudly maintains its language, culture, folklore and cuisine. Element of greatest prominence, the traditional women's costume, a true sartorial marvel of which a period specimen is preserved, awarded as the most beautiful in the region.