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Amalfi Coast Italy |
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Amalfi |
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Amalfi was once a seafaring Republic, rivalling Genoa, Venice and Pisa, from the ninth to the eleventh centuries. Today that competitiveness is exemplified by their participation in the Trophy of the Four Ancient Maritime Republics; a Regatta held each May in Venice. Near the waterfront is the piazza del Duomo and the ninth century Cathedral of Saint Andreas (St. Andrew), whose remains are said to be buried in the crypt.
Extensively rebuilt last century and superbly maintained, this fine
Cathedral reflects Amalfi's original importance. From the Piazza, alleys lead under white arches where curious little shops display ceramics ranging from huge jars to small jugs, all glowing with the appealing colours and designs of the region.
Exploring the Town
Near the sea there's Flavio Gioia square with a moniment for compass' inventor. From here you can see the remains of the arsenal in which were built the big galleys with 116 oars, the biggest of X - XI century. What you can see today, it's just a part because it was destroyed by the sea storm in 1343. In Duomo square you can see the baroque fountain said of S. Andrea or Popolo built in 1760. In front of the fountain you can see the cathedral. It's composed by two basilicas: the lower is dedicated to the Assunta and then to the Crocefisso, about the VI century, it has a aisleless because the left nave is a part of the Paradise cloister and the right is just a storage; the high basilica, dedicated to S. Andrea has the transept and the crypt, it's about 839 when it was violated by the prince Longobardo of Salerno, Sicardo.
For the biggest attraction of all, head west to the Emerald Grotto.
 That
because they had by Amalfitans the most ancient codifications, in the famous " Tabula
Amalphitana ", that was the most accredited code of all the sailor nations of that
time. It controlled the relations between ship's master and sailor, between sailors and
traders. The same Flavio Gioia's legend, probabily lived at the beginning of the XIV
century, gives to Amalfi the credit to have perfected the compass for the navigation and
given materials about the first medieval nautical papers. Ruler in spices field, in
scents, in silk and precious carpets, in the X century Amalfi coined the Golden Coin, the
golden and silver Tarì, that were used in Greek Empire, in Afric and in Longobardo
principate. Amalfi's development was so high thanks to its indipendence. In 1039 Guaimario
V, prince of Salerno, took possession of amalfi's dukedom, with the dominion of Salerno on
Amalfi. Pressed by salerno, the amalfitans governed by Sergio IV, asked to Roberto il
Guiscardo, in 1073, to help them. Salerno capitulated but amalfitans were conquered by
Normans. After Norman king's death, in 1085, Amalfi tried to be free out of Normans power.
In 1135 Amalfi suffered an horrible sack by Pisani, traitors, called for helping against
Normans. It's from now that begins Amalfi's decadence. In 1343 a terrible sea-quake,
described by Petrarca, hit the coast, the most part of the town was destroyed ( probabily
with it also the Ducal Palace, mentioned in a document as Palatium Amalphitanum ), the
fortifications were submerged, the shipyards, nautical equipements. Five years later, the
famous plague of 1348, described by Boccaccio, completed the distruction among people.
Amalfi and all coast's towns, that were beautiful places, populated and fortificated, rich
of beautiful places, decorated by frescoes, marbles, columns, fountains, began modest
towns, without richness, coming back to the traditional economy: fishing, local
handicrafts, agriculture. Only at the end of nineteenth century, tourism gave to amalfi a
very big increase, that now is the economic epicentre of all the coast that from Amalfi
takes its name.
Near the sea there's Flavio Gioia square with a moniment for compass' inventor. From here you can see the remains of the arsenal in which were built the big galleys with 116 oars, the biggest of X - XI century. What you can see today, it's just a part because it was destroyed by the sea storm in 1343. In Duomo square you can see the baroque fountain said of S. Andrea or Popolo built in 1760. In front of the fountain you can see the cathedral.
To Proto's family there's a part of an old galley, picked
up after the storm, on which are craved puttis, fauns and dragons. The miracle is also
remembered in a painting of the Amalfitan painter Ottavio Eliani and it's on the high
altar. The cathedral was built in the IX century, it was extended in 990 when the doge
Mansone III, obtained by Pope Giovanni XV the promotion and the elevation of this
episcopal church to metropolitan dignity. It was rebuilt in 1203, adapted in 1526, 1556
and 1691 and still rebuilt in 1701-1731 for the archibishop Michele Bologna. After the
ruin of the front on December 24th 1861, the atrium and the front too, were rebuilt by
Enrico Alvino with Domenico Morelli, here a mosaic represents Christ on the throne
among the symbol of the Evangelists. It's about 1875 in a Norman and Campania's
style. On the left there's the bell-tower built between XII and XIII century. It was
restored in 1768 and in 1934 was removed all the baroque style. About the end of XII
century are the base zone and the two orders, the first with mullioned windows decorated
by yellow tufa and the second by windows with three lights decorated by grey tufa. The
bellfry has a central mainbody with 4 little towers covered by a roof with yellow and
black tiles and everyone has three monowindows. Wonderful are the plaited archs supported
by columns with stellar and flowered style. So, an imposing steircase with 57 steps, gives
access to the covered atrium and supported by 26 columns. On the right you can see
cardinal's bust of Pietro Capuano, the Assumption of Domenico Morelli and Paolo Vietri.
There are also 4 frescoes about S. Andrea and the miraculous fishing made by Paolo Vietri.
Very important is the bronze door with silver overhanging, built in Costantinopoli in 1066
by Simone of Siria payed by the Amalfitan Pantaleone of Mauro Comite. It's divided in 24
panels with 4 pictures: Christ, the Madonna, S. Andrea and S. Pietro. Inside a baroque
style, it's bulit in latin cross style with 3 naves divided by 20 pillars and columns.
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The
Amalfi
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CHIOSTRO PARADISO : The atrium in the Duomo also leads to the lovely
Chiostro del Paradiso (Paradise Cloister) an elegant Arabian-style structure built in
1266-68 and contains the broken columns and statues, as well as sarcophagi, of a long-gone
civilization. The aura here is definitely Moorish, with a whitewashed quadrangle of
interlaced arches. Once they formed parts of columns and altars, a specialty of this
region of Italy. The arches here created an evocative setting for concerts, both piano and
vocal, held here on Friday nights from July trought September, with tickets costing
5.000L($3). The cloister is open daily 9am to 7pm and charges 5,000L ($3) for admission. 
A minor attraction, good for that rainy day, is the Museo Civico,
Piazza Municipio, which displays original manuscripts of the Tavoliere Amalfitane. This
was the maritime code that governed the entire Mediterranean until 1570. Some exhibits
relate to Flavio Gioia, Amalfi's most famous merchant adventurer. Amalfitani claim he
invented the compass in the 12th century. "The sun, the moon, the stars and
Amalfi," locals used to say. What's lefts from the "attic" of their once
great power is preserved here. The museum is free and open Monday to Saturday 9am to 1pm.
For your most scenic walk
in Amalfi, start at Piazza del Duomo and head up Via Genova. The classic stroll will take
you to the Valle dei Mulini (the Valley of the public is said to have acquainted Italy
with the use of paper). You'll pass by fragrant gardens and scented citrus groves. If the
subject interests you, you can learn more details about the industry at the Museo della
Carta, Via Valle dei Mulini. It's filled with antique presses and yellowing manuscripts
from yesterday. It's open Tuesday to Thursday and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 1pm.
Admission is 2,000L ($1.20)
At the outset of amalfi, you can see
S.franceso tower, said Tumulo ( Tumulus ) and the Convento dei Padri Minori Conventuali
whose building is traditionally attribuited to S.francesco. After Monastery's suppression
in 1087, you can see only the cloister that presents a lot of ogive archs. A very simple
cornice complets the cloister: among the archs many little windows. Near the cloister
there's S.Antonio church, with a aisleless, a marmoreal altar and cinerary ruins in
the sacresty. In the crypt you can see very interesting frescoes of thirteenth century.
Here lie Father Domenico Girardelli da Muro's mortal remains, that was the teacher of the
blessed Bonaventura da Potenza whose mortal remains lie in S.Francesco On the mountain you
can see the ex-monastery of Benedictines dedicated to S.Lorenzodel Piano and built
by the doge Mansone III in 980 for the unmarried and virtuous women of the town. In 1840
it was transformed in a cemetery. Here lie the mortal remains of the historic amalfitan
Matteo Camera. In the monastery, today the seat of the municipality, you can see
the text of the nautical system of Amalfi, the famous Tabula Civitatis Malphae. These
tables are about the navigation: the freight's price, captain and sailor's duty, the
indemnety of the assurances of naval trades, etc. And also some news about the social
security as the society's duty to take care of the sailor or member, ill or wounded. From
here you can see the Madonna of Pompei church, built in eighteenth century. The
portal is decorated with stucco works of baroque and it introduces a aisleless decorated
with stucco works. Very interesting is the tiled floor with majolica of eighteenth
century. 
The coffer ceiling is golden with 4 big paintings by Andrea
d'Aste, they represents S. Andrea's flagellation, Manna's miracle, the Crucifixion and the
Saint on the cross. On the high altar S. Andrea's crucifixion and on both sides two amboni
decorated by mosaics about XII century. In the chapel, on the left, an old baptisimal
basin of red pophyry coming from Paestum, at the end of the right nave there's the bishop
Andrea d'Acento's sepulchre. From the left nave, a staircase leads to the crypt. On
staircase's walls there's a painting about the Madonna col Bambino and S.S. Giovanni and
Andrea and the Pietà. The crypt is divided by 2 naves. On the altar the bronze statue of
S. Andrea given by Philiph III of Spain and marble statues of S. Lorenzo and S. Stefano by
Pietro Bernini. Under the altar are reserved S. Andrea's relics, removed in 1208 by the
Cardinal Pietro Capuano, back from the Holy Land. Saint's bones issue an extraordinary
substance, the Manna. An old pilgrim, back from the Holy Land, discovered this
supernatural fact on November 24th 1304. From then, relics were put in a way for picking
up the Manna by a little tube during a miracolous mission. From the Cathedral you can go
to Crocefisso Church and from here to Paradise cloister. Here many mosaics, friezes about
XI and XII century, 2 roman sarcophagi with bas-relieves about Peleo and Teti's wedding
and Prosperina's rape, a sarcophagus about the decurion Ottavio Rufo, a statue symbolizing
the Justice, sarcophagi with the Madonna col Bambino and the apostles, a bas-relief with
the Madonna col Bambino and S.S. Andrea and Battista. At the behind of the Cathedral
there's S. Maria Maggiore Church about X century. In Franconcello zone " ad
Falconcellum " there's S. Pietro's Benedectine Monastery about X century. In 1815 it
was changed in a hotel. Important are S. Maria Addolorata Church, S.S. Filippo and
Giacomo Church. 
The
Emerald Grotto is nearby and is reached by steps or lift and then by rowing through
exceptionally clear water in this marine cave is illuminated indirectly by rays of
sunlight giving it a beautiful emerald colour of extraordinary depth. Reflected in the
water are the marvelous golden coloured stalactites which are suspended from the cave
roof. The road winds on towards a sight that suddenly bursts into view as you emerge from
a tunnel gouged through a cliff. It is unbelievably pretty; tall, white houses, churches
and towers perch atop rocky precipices in the Molini Valley facing a bay of azure blue
with a backdrop of rugged mountains. Three miles of Praiano, the grotto is reached from
the coastal road via a descent by elevator, which sosts 3 Euro, including the boat ride.
Then you board a boat that traverses the eerie world of the groto. The stalagmites are
unique in that someare underwater. You can visit daily 10 am to 4pm. Take the Sita bus in
Praiano going toward Amalfi. The best way to go is by boat from Amalfi or Praiano, leaving
from the docks and costing 6 Euro round trip, plus the 3 Euro entry fee.