Rifugio comunale Passo di Guardia
The place
Rifugio comunale Passo di Guardia ("Guardia Pass Communal Refuge") in the province of Cosenza, Longobucco/Sila Grande area (Sila Calabria National Park, Italy), at 957 m elevation, Sila Grande slope. Continuous Italy Sila cluster (batches 260-412). Municipal hikers' rifugio in Sila Grande (Sila National Park, 736 km², established 2002, iconic + Longobucco, pop. 3,000, mountain bergamot town + Sila, 1,928 m Botte Donato peak + iconic Sila plateau, granite plateau, Pinus nigra laricio (Calabrian pine) forests + heritage of the Bruttians/Calabrians (ancient Italic Bruttian people + Calabrians, 2 million speakers of the Siciliano-Calabrian dialect + Greeks/Grecani of the South, Grecani, 3,000 speakers of the endangered UNESCO-listed Greko language + iconic Magna Graecia heritage, Greek colonies, Sybaris founded 720 BC, iconic Locri, Reggio + iconic Byzantine heritage, 9th-11th c., Bruttium + Normans, 1071, Roger II, iconic + iconic 1908 Calabria earthquake, M 7.1, Messina, 90,000 dead, iconic worst 20th-century European disaster + iconic Italian unification, Garibaldi's Thousand, 1860, Marsala, iconic + iconic 1876-1920 emigration, 5 million Italians from the South to the USA, iconic + iconic Ndrangheta mafia of Calabria, iconic San Luca family clans + iconic Reggio bergamot, 90% of world essential-oil production, Earl Grey tea, iconic + iconic Nzuddu Aspromonte 1970s wave of emigration to Germany).
The setting
Cosenza Longobucco/Sila Grande Sila Calabria National Park Italy 957 m Sila Grande slope, continuous cluster batches 260-412, municipal rifugio Sila Grande + Sila National Park 736 km² 2002 iconic + Longobucco pop. 3,000 bergamot + Sila 1,928 m Botte Donato + Sila plateau granite Pinus nigra laricio forests, Bruttians/Calabrians Italic Bruttian ancient + Calabrians 2 million Siciliano-Calabrian + Grecani S 3,000 Greko endangered UNESCO iconic + Magna Graecia Sybaris 720 BC iconic Locri Reggio + Byzantines 9th-11th c. Bruttium + Normans 1071 Roger II iconic + 1908 Calabria earthquake M 7.1 Messina 90,000 dead iconic worst 20th-c. European disaster + Garibaldi's Thousand 1860 Marsala iconic + 1876-1920 emigration 5 million IT South to USA iconic + Ndrangheta mafia Calabria iconic San Luca clans + Reggio bergamot 90% world Earl Grey tea iconic + Nzuddu Aspromonte 1970s emigration to Germany iconic.
