Civic Museum as One of Amalfi's Popular Attractions

Added: 06/23/2006

Situated on the Gulf of Salerno, some 24 miles southeast of Naples, Amalfi is a picturesque town in Campania, Italy, surrounded by coastal scenery and dramatic cliffs. In the Mediterranean it was the capital of the Maritime Republic of Alalfi, recognized as an important trading power. Today Amalfi is a popular tourist destination, together with such towns as Ravello and Positano located on the same coast. In 1996 Amalfi was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Civic Museum is one of the best ways to experience all the history and heritage Amalfi has to offer.

From the day of its foundation in the IV century, Amalfi flourished as a town reaching its peak in the tenth and eleventh centuries. The heart of the town is the cathedral square, home to many small cafes and shops.

Attractions abound in Amalfi with many unique churches, monuments and palaces providing deep insight in the history of the town. Among those worth a visit are St Andrea Dome of Amalfi, Civic Museum, Basilica di San Antonio, St Francis Cloisters, Correale di Terranova Museum, Selil Dominova, Paper Museum and Ancient Arsenals of the Amalfi Republic among others.

Constructed in 937, St Andrea Dome of Amalfi, known also as the Duomo of Amalfi, is an interesting museum and a cloister that has been expanded and remodeled over the centuries. Dedicated to St Andrew, it dominates the cathedral square and rises at the end of steps. Some parts of the Dome were rebuilt after their collapse, including the beautiful facade restructured in 1861. To its left is the bell tower started in the 1180s and finished in the 1270. Despite of being restored several times, it has managed to keep its original appearance. The impressive bronze doors were cast in Constantinople in the eleventh century, with the figures of Our Lady, Christ and Saints Peter and Andrew. The interior of the cathedral was rebuilt in Baroque style and features statues, frescos and other works of art.

Among other noteworthy sites is the Civic Museum, located in Town Hall Piazza Municipio. Included in its collection are several interesting exhibits, like original manuscripts of Tavoliere Amalfitane and those associated with the most famous merchant adventurer of Amalfi - Flavio Gioia, who is said to have invented compass over 800 years ago. Also on display in the Civic Museum is a seventeenth century paper copy of the precious maritime manuscript, Tabula Amalpha that dates back to the eleventh century and boasts surprising information on the Maritime Republic. The museum is open from Monday till Friday 8 am to 2 pm.

Another renowned attraction worth a visit, Ancient Arsenals of the Amalfi Republic are a precious testimony to the rich maritime past of the town. Out of the 22 arcades established in the ninth century. Only 12 remain today.

Alternatively, you can visit Basilica di San Antonio, constructed around the tenth century to honor St Anthony, the patron saint of navigators. In the fourteenth century it became home to the Confraternita dei Batterni, the heretical confraternity originating from Naples. The basilica was restored by the Theatine Fathers in the seventh century.

Those interested in the historic past of Amalfi can take advantage of numerous Amalfi tours introducing visitors to major historic landmarks and attraction alike. Most guided excursions begin with a visit to Duomo of Amalfi and the Cloister of Paradise, proceeding then to the Civic Museum to see the maritime code that has regulated sea activity for more than seven centuries. During the tour you'll also see the ruins of the largest naval shipyard of medieval Europe, and a restored paper mill dating back to the period when the art of paper making was taken by the Amalfitans from the Arabs.

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