Nino Andreotti Fiumefreddo Bruzio-chiese e torri

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Fiumefreddo Bruzio, the tower seen from north-east.(Photo 2005).

ROSSIS TOWER
Its an original building of the eighteenth century. The tower lies northwest of the speedway tunnel, in the Cordieris area, in Marina of Fiumefreddo. The tower has beautiful eighteenth century balconies in wrought iron, a porch with arches and the roof bordered with stone lilies. Until a few years ago, this tower was used as a dwelling house. Actually this building looks more like a mansion house than a tower. As a matter of fact, almost all the old towers of Fiumefreddo Bruzio, which belonged to vassals and vavasours, look like large houses of good appearance, that show, however, unmistakable, distinguishing marks and features of the old gigantic feudal towers, such as battlements, jutting brackets, loopholes, embrasures, porches, old stone fireplaces, old terracotta tiles, etc.
Front and side views (west-south) of the tower.
This black and white photograph was taken a century ago.

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PONZIOS TOWER
Ponzios tower

Giandomenico Ponzio (Ioannes Dominicus Pontius) built this tower in 1561, to defend his land. It has wooden beam floors. The tower lies to the south of San Biase, a big village of Fiumefreddo, between Luisi and Muraglie ( two hamlets in the land of S.Biase) and its very difficult to arrive at the tower on foot. You can see the old windows, the loopholes and a big broken stone slab which reminds us of the date of the towers construction. The tower was a center of resistance, in 1806 Calabrian antinapoleonic revolution. Today the old building is falling to pieces.

in

Ponzios tower as it appears an ink drawing made by Don Antonio Rotondo . (See page 145).

The Latin inscription on this broken slab of stone, attests that Ioannes Dominicus Pontius is the owner of the feudal tower, built in 1561.

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ANTONIO ROTONDO
AN ILLUSTRIOUS PRIEST OF FIUMEFREDDO BRUZIO
Antonio Rotondo was born in Fiumefreddo Bruzio, a small town in the province of Cosenza, on October the 3rd, 1883, and died, in the same town, on December the 24th, 1967. As soon as he was ordained a priest, Fiumefreddo Bruzio, 1946. Don Antonio he devoted himself to doing the celebrates Mass in the Mother Church, parish-priest in Fiumefreddo assisted by Don Luigi Provenzano, St. Bruzio for a few years, Franciss parish Priest. (Photo Vittorio Amendola). and then, the archpriest in the same town: a religious and spiritual mission which he always undertook with enthusiasm, uprightness, self-denial and paternal affection, specially on behalf of the poor and of those in need of help. During the last years of his priesthood, for disagreements arisen between him and the ecclesiastical authorities, Don Rotondo was forced to celebrate Mass behind closed doors, in the church called La Madonnella (see page 131). Some years later, the events and the facts proved him right and the hierarchy of the Church, in the meantime changed, did its utmost for an opportune reconciliation, but, by that time, Don Antonio was a sick man, confined to a wheelchair. The archpriest was a many-sided autodidact artist. He was a good painter, mainly of religious topics: a big painting portraying Saint Francis of Paola, carefully kept, until a few years ago, in the church
Fiumefreddo Bruzio, August the 7th, 2007 11 o clock, p.m.
Largo Santa Domenica. Outdoor, night-time, memorial ceremony, at the end of a day marked by warm demonstrations of affection in honour of Don Antonio. People are listening to the speakers who are commemorating Don Antonio Rotondo, on the 40th anniversary of his death. At the speakers table, from left: Mr. Nino Genovese, moderator, Mr. Franco Del Buono and Mrs.Viviana Andreotti, featured speakers, Mr. Attilio Spina, a disciple of Don Antonios.

Photo 1

Fiumefreddo B., August the 7th, 2007- 11 o clock a.m.

The house (photo 1, partial side view) where don Antonio lived, at Largo Santa Domenica. The memorial tablet, fixed to the wall of the house (enlarged photo, see red arrow), has just been unveiled after a religious ceremony. People, gathered here today, are happy to recall memories of Don Antonio Rotondo and to remember him as a good priest and an eclectic artist born in Fiumefreddo Bruzio.

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Il Natale, a Christmas booklet, by don Antonio. It contains Christmas carols, prayers, customs, traditions, and helps the reader to live Christmastide with Christian consciousness. In the booklet there are photographs of don Antonios famous presepi.

which is named after Saint Francis, isnt there any more and nobody knows where it is. Don Antonio established in his town a band of more than thirty musicians, and wrote several marches and various compositions ( of which nothing was found), he also set to music some Christmas carols which we find in his booklet Il Natale. He wrote Memoria Storica, an essay on Calabrian antinapoleonic revolution, based upon historical sources. Don Rotondo, at Christmas time, used to create presepi of great artistic value, using terracotta statuettes he himself moulded and refined; many of these statuettes are now in the House of the culture in Palmi, and some of them are considered true masterpieces. A terracotta don Antonio moulded and I would also like to mention the miracle finished for his presepi. (Private collection). plays, performed outdoors by young people of Fiumefreddo written, produced and directed by Don Antonio. When these events occurred, local residents and people from neighbouring towns, crowded the streets and the squares of Fiumefreddo, to enjoy, to applaud and to praise the actors performances. Of these mysteries written by the priest, unfortunately, nothing was found among his papers. The memory of don Antonios merits and generosity, still lives in the hearts and in the minds of elderly people of Fiumefreddo Bruzio.
Memoria Storica by Antonio Rotondo. An essay on Calabrian antinapoleonic revolution (1806/1807).

PRESIDENT EMERITUS FRANCESCO COSSIGA* - freeman of Fiumefreddo Bruzio Senator Francesco Cossiga* : the eighth President of the Italian Republic from July 3rd , 1985 to April 28th , 1992.

The town council of Fiumefreddo Bruzio - Cosenza- has conferred the freedom of the city, on President, Senator for life, Professor Francesco Cossiga, for the following reasons we read in the resolution of the municipal council n. 17, approved unanimously on July 27th , 2004:
Senator Francesco Cossiga is a statesman who has been devoting his life to asserting the values and the interests of our Country. While holding the highest offices of the State, President Cossiga faced, with great determination and courage, complex situations which implied hard decisions, always working for the common good. The so-called esternazioni or mattock blows, have

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helped people to wake up and have made them reflect, even those of a small town like ours, and this high civic tribute, is a mark of esteem in

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