History and Attractions of Amalfi

Amalfi is a town in the Campania region, located on Italy's most beautiful coastline, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Amalfi was a maritime republic in ancient times and takes its name from the peninsula of the same name. The picturesque rocky shores make Amalfi mesmerizingly beautiful, but difficult to reach. To reach the superb beaches, you have to go up a long series of steps or come by boat from the sea. So when they say that the sea is 200 meters away, it is quite possible that the distance is 200 meters by vertical.

Amalfi was founded by the Romans.With the arrival of the Byzantines, the seaside village was rebuilt into a fortress, protected by cliffs and isolated from the other parts of the coast. This favorable strategic position made Amalfi a tidbit in the battles between the Byzantines and the Lombards.In 839 the city was conquered by the Lombards, but after the killing of the ruler, Amalfi became free, although formally it was under the rule of the Byzantine mediator, the Duchy of Naples.

By the 9th century Amalfi had become a maritime republic, one of the richest trading powers, along with Pisa, Venice and Genoa, electing its own Doge. Amalfi produced the oldest maritime law, the Tavole amalfitane (Tavole amalfitane), which regulated all Mediterranean maritime trade until the end of the 17th century. Duchy of Amalfi was reached its peak in the 11th century, after which a period of decline began. In 1131 Amalfi was conquered by the Normans. Frequent battles between Norman leaders, attacks by Pisa pushed the city down, and in 1343 a tsunami destroyed half of Amalfi. The city was no longer to become free and great on the world map.

In 1860, together with the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, Amalfi became part of the united Italy.

The most famous attraction of Amalfi is the Arab-Sicilian style Cathedral dedicated to St. Andrew, the apostle and patron saint of the town.

In fact, it is not a single building, but a complex of buildings dating back to different centuries. The first church on this site dates back to the VI century, in the IX century a cathedral was added to the church, dedicating it to St. Andrew. In the Middle Ages and later the cathedral was rebuilt, in 1180 there was added a bell tower, an altar in honor of the saint, two statues by Bernini, Paradise Court.

The modern Neo-Gothic facade was built in the 19th century by the project of Errico Alvino. The cathedral rises spectacularly above the small square. It is reached by a wide staircase.To the left of the cathedral is the Paradise Courtyard and the crypt where the relics of St. Andrew are kept under the altar by Fontana. The relics of St. Andrew were brought by the crusaders from Constantinople in 1206 by order of Cardinal Peter of Capua. On November 30, 1304, the relics of the saint began to myrrh for the first time. Since then, the miracle has been repeated every year on the saint's day, November 30.

On the monumental tombstone the Apostle is depicted with a huge cross. It is known that St. Andrew had a habit of placing large stone and iron crosses everywhere. The cross on which the saint was crucified had the shape of the letter "X" and was called "St. Andrew's Cross".
The statue of St. Andrew is the work of Michelangelo Nacerino, and on either side of the Apostle are the first deacons of the Eastern and Western Churches: St. Stephen and St. Lawrence, by Pietro Bernini.

The marble sarcophagus is in the form of a throne on which Mass is celebrated daily and an Orthodox service once a week. To the left of the altar is a mother-of-pearl crucifix brought from the Holy Land.

The square in front of the Cathedral.