Italy 2024 Episode 6: Amalfi

The town that lends its name to the Amalfi Coast was one of four Italian maritime city-states (along with Venice, Pisa, and Genoa) that held sway over trade on the Mediterranean in the 10th - 11th centuries. This status is celebrated by the ceramic map at the port’s main gate, while other ceramic artwork adorns the walls around town.
In the main piazza, the Fountain of Saint Andrew stands in front of the Duomo, also dedicated to Andrew and containing his relics. The church dates to the 9th c. with considerable remodeling over subsequent centuries. In fact, the Byzantine-style facade is one of the most recent additions (1800s) with mosaics of Christ and the 12 Apostles that glisten in the sunlight. The bell tower is much older, constructed in the 12th - 13th c. and topped with an elaborate "crown" decorated with majolica tiles and marble. Older still are the massive bronze doors, cast in Constantinople in the 11th century. Inside, the nave was decorated in the 18th c. in Baroque style. The high altar is composed of a 13th c. archbishop’s sarcophagus, above which is a late-Baroque painting of the Martyrdom of St. Andrew. Another chapel appears to house busts of various saints which presumably contain their relics. At the back of the nave, a display case contains a crucifix brought from the Holy Land, made of mother-of-pearl. The beautiful Cloister of Paradise and adjoining basilica are part of the original 9th c. cathedral with early frescoes, sarcophagi, and statues. From here, steps lead down to the ornate 13th c. Crypt of St. Andrew where the saint's relics are interred, brought to Amalfi from Constantinople in 1206 during the Fourth Crusade.
Built into the cliffs high above the town is Amalfi’s cemetery, offering views over the town and the sea. After lunch, we took a boat to our next stop: Positano.