Piazza Flavio Gioia (Amalfi) » bus per
Scala - Piazza Municipio » Duomo
di S. Lorenzo » via Torricella »
Casa Mansi D’Amelio
» Casa Anastasio e Grotta di S.
Alfonso M. de Liguori » via Comunale
per Minuto » Chiesa di S. Maria
dell’Annunziata » via pedonale
per Pontone » via S. Eustachio » Ruderi
della Chiesa di S. Eustachio » via
pedonale per Pontone » Casa Vescovile
» Chiesa di S. Filippo Neri
» Chiesa di S. Giovanni Battista
» via Nazionale » Chiesa
della Madonna del Carmine » via Torre
» Torre dello Ziro
» via pedonale per Pontone » via Comite Orso (Amalfi).
This itinerary we will take in the opposite
direction. We will not leave from Amalfi to visit Scala as we would
find it a very steep climb but instead we will take public transport
up to Scala and after a brief visit return to Amalfi down the steps
that lead through the interesting scenery ( about 2000 steps)…
Take the bus (the Amalfi- Ravello- Scala line) that
leaves from Piazza Flavio Gioa about every half-hour, get off at
the Piazza Municipio - Scala, in front of the imposing
Cathedral of S.Lorenzo
Dating from the IX century , a bishopric from 987
to 1818. Passing through the beautiful marble
portal we admire: a superb Majolica
pavement of 1853, with a design of floral bands and at the
centre the Ladder and the Lion proud emblem of the people of Scala;
the boxed ceiling by De Simone, is adorned
with three large paintings by Cacciapuoti that represent
the “Martyrdom of S. Lorenzo”…
Over the High Altar an icon with the“ Madonna
between the SS. Agata, Lorenzo, Caterina d’Alessandria and
Teodoro”, all co-patrons of Scala, work of Marco Pino of Sienna
and also a “Last Supper” of 1489 attributed to Geronimo
Carpinello of Eboli…
Also of note the works on
the side altars- paintings on wood and canvas from the XV
to the XVIII centuries- the Ambo of the Epistle (pulpit)
and behind a grill, the altar of the Sacred treasure that
holds precious pontifical furnishings, sacred icons of the XVI and
XVII centuries, reliquaries, a chalice of 1332 and a precious bishops
mitre, a gift ex-vote of Carlo I D’Angiò
in 1270, one of the most ancient and precious in Southern Italy
( some date it earlier than that of Amalfi)…
A wide flight of steps half-way along the right-hand
nave leads to the Crypt where we can see: “The
group of statues of the Deposition” in wood of the late XIII
century and the monumental Mausoleum
of Marinella Rufolo of 1332…
On leaving the Cathedral take a drink of fresh water
from the majestic fountain and then
take via Torricella in direction Campidoglio…
A few metres ahead, we arrive at the house of the
‘200, Mansi D’Amelio Mansion
with an impressive entrance that has a vault in the form of a cross
sustained by columns and then we come to Anastasio
Mansion, once the residence of St, Alfonso Maria De Liguori
and nearby the Chapel of St. Alfonso, built
around the Grotto of the Revelations, little more than a
cavity in the rock, where the Saint prayed in mystical communion
with the Madonna….
Going straight ahead along the road for about 1Km.
enjoying the view of Ravello and the luxuriant nature all around,
we arrive at a large bend, on the right a deviation- via Comunale
for Minuta- which we take…
Down a few steps and we find ourselves in the magnificent
little Square of Minuta, in front of
The Church of S. Maria dell’Annunziata
Built at the end of the XI century, it has a rustic
porch with three vaulted arches where until the XVI century the
parliament of Scala met in reunion… On entering we note: a
Roman cinerary urn, a wooden statue of the Madonna Annunziata
of the XVIII century, and an impressive marble
eagle, part of an antique pulpit.
On the right a small flight of steps lead to the
crypt, where there are an imposing group
of frescoes dating from the XI and XII centuries ( with those
of S.Maria de Olearia at Maiori amongst the most important in Southern
Italy): In this order : the Nativity of Christ, the Visitation,
the Annunciation, the Nativity) the effigies of the Saints and in
the bottom part a cycle of the “Miracle
of S. Nicholas of Bari”, probably an ex-vote for the liberation
from slavery of a boy from Scala or Amalfi…
Leaving by the exit at the back of the crypt we take
via pedonale that immersed in the terraces of lemons and olive trees,
in a few minutes leads us to the short via Sant’Eustacchio
on the right, that is colligated to the ancient quarter of the nobles,
the home of the Patrician families of Scala. In the near distance
the imposing ruins of
The Basilica of St. Eustacchio
In the XII century under the patronage of the family
D’Afflitto, it was the largest Church
in the Duchy, maximum expression of the Amalfitan style, embellished
with frescoes, marble ornament and a splendid polychrome fret-work
in yellow and black on the external part of the apses…
On descending in a few minutes we reach the medieval
village of Pontone that until the XX century was a ward of Amalfi…
A commercial and crafts centre famous for the production
of wool in ancient times, it was much appreciated by the clergy
and the Nobles for its stupendous position and for the peace that
reigns there. In the small village there are several mansions of
the nobility and three imposing bell-towers. We come first to the
Bishops House, winter residence of the Prelates
of Scala; after this comes the nearby
Church of S. Filippo Neri
The Church, built in the X century and named after
S. Matteo, was completely renovated in the Baroque era and entrusted
to the Arch-Confraternity of S. Filippo Neri, one can admire the
ancient documents, vestments and insignia.
To be seen: The majolica pavement, the Baroque paintings
over the altars and on the wall of the assembly a magnificent
crucifix in stucco of the XIV century…
In the little Medieval square the
Church of S. Giovanni Battista
Built in the XII century but renovated many times
it holds a number of paintings of the ‘500s
and the Baroque period: a beautiful “The Circumcision”
by Aniello Iannicelli dated 1590. Also to be noted: the imposing
wooden retable of the High altar, decorated with paintings of episodes
in the life of S. Giovanni and also a beautiful statue of the Saint,
and the Tomb- stone of Filippo Spina dated
1346…
On the side of the square, via Noce takes us
to the centre of Pontone, still a testimony to the medieval era.
Then on to via Tuoro where we find the
ancient Western Gate of Pontone and straight
ahead to via Pestrofa that leads to the Valle
delle Ferriere (Valley
of the Iron-works)…
In the little square we pass under the bell-tower
of S. Giovanni, and take the State road at the side of which is
the Church of s. Maria del Carmine.
Built on the Romanesque plan but altered in the Baroque era, it
has the only example on the coast of a portico covered with a vault…
Crossing via Torre that follows the side of
the Church we arrive at the entrance of the park of Monte Aureo.
In the thick labyrinth of Pines there are two footpaths: one leads
to the Belvedere, the other on the right leads to the famous Tower
of the Ziro
The date of the construction is not known but the
Aragonese style suggests the XV century, and also the origin of
the name probably comes from the ancient rock installation of Salvatore
De Ciro.
The great fame of the tower derives
from the touching vicissitudes of Giovanna D’Aragona, better
known as the Duchess of Malfi, a story that has attracted travellers
since the era of the Grand Tour…
The daughter of an illegitimate son of Ferrante I
d’ Aragona she was married at twelve years of age to Alfonso
Piccolomini, Duke of Amalfi in 1490:. Giovanna was left a widow
at the age of twenty, mother of two children and with a Duchy in
financial difficulties. The Duchess was young and intelligent and
managed to govern well with the help of a handsome administrator
Antonio Bologna sent by her brothers, the young couple fell in love
but news of the scandal arrived to the ears of her two brothers,
the Cardinal and Count of Gerace. The story of her imprisonment
in the tower with her children, and according to some historians
their death around the year (1510?) and the flight of Bologna, who
escaped capture but was later assassinated by a paid killer, became
common gossip…
This bitter-sweet story of Love and Death inspired
Bandello in the XIV of his “Novelle” and later John
Webster who wrote the “Tragedy of the Duchess of Malfi”;
Francoise Belleforest, “Histoire tragique”; and Felipe
Lope de Vega for his
“ Comedia famosa y triste del Majordomo de la Duquesa de Amalfi”…
A few metres after the Tower there is a small fortified
open space where there is a magnificent view of Atrani and the coast
from Capodorso on one side, Amalfi and the coast to Capo di Conca
on the other side…but for us it is time to return…
Leaving the park , going directly ahead down the
steps we come to the fork in the road called “delle croci”
(of the Cross) from the shrine on the side of the road…
Here the one road is in rapid descent, flanked by
luxuriant terraces of lemons…
As we come down, the higher part of Amalfi takes
on a definite form … we are in the via pedonale per Pontone
and almost at the end of our walk down the steep flights of steps
that in about a quarter of an hour will lead us to Amalfi, in Via
Leone Comite Orso… in the Valle dei Mulini …( Valley
of Mills)…
|