Cosenza

Cosenza stands where the Busento joins the Crati, between the mountains of northern Calabria, with the Sila highlands rising to the east. Its old streets rise from the rivers towards a hill crowned by a castle. Under Spanish rule the city served as the capital of Calabria Citra and became a centre of learning as well as government.

The philosopher Bernardino Telesio was born in Cosenza in 1509. His study of nature and his teaching attracted pupils in the city, helping to shape the circle later known as the Accademia Cosentina. Telesio challenged reliance on inherited philosophical authorities and sought to understand nature through its own principles. After his death in 1588, his pupil Sertorio Quattromani continued his intellectual work in Cosenza.