Cosenza

Cosenza, city in southern Italy, capital of Cosenza Province, in the Calabria region at the confluence of the Busento and Crati rivers. An agricultural and manufacturing centre, Cosenza has factories producing timber, furniture, and textiles. Cosenza is the site of a cathedral (12th-13th century) and a castle (13th century) built by Frederick II of the Holy Roman Empire. The city was originally founded as the Greek colony of Consentia. In 204 bc, during the Second Punic War, the town was taken by the Romans. Population 69,868 (2007 estimate).