CARONTE BATHS

The history of Terme Caronte and the Cataldi family is a unique example in Calabria and rare in Italy of entrepreneurial continuity, commitment and passion spanning ten generations, from 1716 to the present day. In an ever-changing world, the Cataldi family has been able to preserve a strong identity, made up of values, tradition and attention to detail, which today are also reflected in the Terme Caronte Museum, inaugurated in 2011 on the occasion of the 150th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy.

Temporarily set up on the second floor of the cure building, pending its final relocation to the historic 'Charon' building of 1914, the museum tells three centuries of company and family history. On display are original documents, period photographs, historical correspondence, spa treatment instruments, as well as archives and account books tracing the transition from quill pen writings to digitisation.

The museum itinerary is divided into two sections: the history of the company and that of the family history archive, with particular emphasis on the figures of Garibaldi's Giovanni Maria Cataldi (1812-1886) and his son Carlo Napoleone (1843-1934), Senator of the Kingdom, who testifies to a legacy of culture and values constantly connected to the most advanced ferments in Italy and Europe. Two other routes focus on Byzantine Art and Culture in the territory and Archaeology in the spa area itself, with important examples such as the display of the Madonna and Child statue dating back to the early Middle Ages.