The Duomo of Amalfi ★★

The gorgeous cathedral of Amalfi

The star of Amalfi is the Duomo, its magnificent 13th-century Lombard-Norman facade of striped arches, Gothic tracery, interlocking arches forming blind arcades, and glittering mosaics rising majestically at the top of a mighty set of 62 stairs.

Towering over it on the left is a bell tower of 1180–1276, with a majolica drum at the top surrounded by four smaller drums.

A relief in the Duomo. You can tell the guy on the right is St. Andrew because he is carrying his totemic X-shaped crucifix. I guarantee you have seen this symbol before. When James VI of Scotland inherited the English and Irish crowns to become king of a new "United Kingdom," he combined the flag of England (a St. George's Cross) with that of Scotland (featuring the X-shaped St. Andrew's Cross) to form the first version of the famous Union Jack flag.

Simeon of Syria crafted the cathedral's massive bronze doors (whose panels feature crosses and saints inlaid with silver) in Constantinople in 1066. Beyond these is the 13th century central church, larded with early 18th century baroque decorations.

(The cathedral complex actually dates back to AD 833 and the Basilica del SS. Crocifisso, now off to one side of the main church, decorated with scraps of fresco restored in 1994, and serving as part of the museum.)

Like the other great maritime powers, Amalfi (or rather, Cardinal Pietro Capuano) stole itself a venerable saint from the Holy Land in the 12th century, which is why the body of St. Andrew the Apostle lies under the altar in a lavishly decorated crypt started in 1206.

Il Chiostro del Paradiso (Cloisters of Paradise).A separate entrance to the left of the main one gives access to the cloisters of paradise, a tiny Saracen-style cloisters from 1266–68 composed of interlocking and superimposed pointed arches forming a complex pattern above the colonnade of 120 columns. It is a popular spot for weddings.

At the back of the cloisters is a small chapel with Gothic-era frescoes, including a slightly ruinous Giottesque Crucifixion by Roberto d'Oderisio.

Tip

• During regular hours (10am–6:45pm) the cathedral closes its main doors and you can only enter through the Cloisters of Paradise, and therefore must pay, but you can see the Duomo for free (though not the adjacent cloisters and small museum) if you come to mass at 9am or after 6:45pm.

Tips & links

Share this page

Search ReidsItaly.com