La fiumara vaticana

The Fiumara Vaticana

In 1889 the “Naples – Reggio Calabria” railway bridge was built over the Ruffa torrent -112 metres high with a double row of arches: the first with four 10.64 metre spans; the second with eight 12 metre spans. A gold relic is preserved in the church of San Nicolò, which the workmen involved in the building of the railway bridge offered up to their patron saint in sign of thanksgiving. The work was inaugurated by the mayor of Ricadi together with other administrative authorities in 1890.

In the municipal territory various watercourses of a temporary nature can be found, the most important of these is the “Ruffa” torrent, commonly called “Fiumara” which has its source in the area of Monte Poro and divides the territory into two districts: that of Santa Domenica and that of Capo Vaticano. The “Vrace” torrent rises in the plateau of Drapia and flows into the Tyrrhenian sea in the area of Formicoli; the “Riace” torrent separates Ricadi from the commune of Tropea: the “Mandricelli” torrent marks the dividing line with the commune of Joppolo.