General information about Amalfi

Where is Amalfi located?

The city of Amalfi is located in the valley of the Chiarito River near Mount Aureo to the east and Mount Favorito to the west. The population of Amalfi exceeds 5,000 people. In the center of the resort town, there is a beautiful large sandy beach. In the depths of the valley, there is an ancient industrial zone of Amalfi, where a factory and metallurgical plant once operated. The resort area is home to unique representatives of flora and fauna, and it also houses a nature reserve with enchanting waterfalls.

History of Amalfi

The origins of Amalfi are shrouded in legends, the main one of which tells the story of Hercules burying his beloved nymph Amalfi with eyes the color of the sea wave on the local beach. The coastal area of the resort town was chosen for a reason - it had a landscape of astonishing beauty.

The first records of Amalfi date back to the 6th century. Soon after that, Amalfi became an independent maritime republic engaged in trade with its neighbors and Arab countries. In the local port, grain, slaves, and salt from Sardinia were exchanged for gold dinars minted in Egypt and Syria.

In addition, large stocks of grain were kept in the port for sale. Merchants were interested in Byzantine silk, which they then resold in the West. Ships from many Islamic cities arrived at the port, allowing Amalfi's merchants to accumulate significant reserves of gold coins in the 9th century and afford to acquire land.

At a time when trade flourished on the Mediterranean, Amalfi rivaled such Italian cities as Pisa and Genoa. At the turn of the millennium it was home to about 80,000 people.

During the Middle Ages the port and the lower town were destroyed by the tsunami. However, a thriving law school and school of mathematics survived here. For example, the prototype of the modern maritime compass was designed in the early 14th century by Flavio Gioia, a resident of Amalfi.

Over the years, the beautiful landscapes of Amalfi have attracted famous people, such as the composer Richard Wagner, the playwright Henrik Ibsen, the film producer Carlo Ponti and his beautiful wife Sophia Loren and Roberto Rossellini, who shot his film "L'Amore" here.

Thanks to the rich historical heritage in the heart of Amalfi the 11th century Cathedral of St. Andrew the Apostle is preserved with unique icons, marble statues, bronze monuments and frescoes. Since 1206, there is a tomb with parts of the saint's relics stored in a crypt in the territory of the cathedral.