Amalfi Cathedral, a monument of the Amalfi Coast

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Amalfi Cathedral, Amalfi's most iconic monumental complex, is a must-see for visitors to the Amalfi Coast.

Dedicated to St. Andrew, the city's patron saint, it rises at the end of a steep and grand staircase of 57 steps, and towers over the Cathedral Square of the same name at the center of which is the 18th-century Fontana del Popolo or St. Andrew's Fountain. The imposing building enchants tourists with its original and unique architectural features that mix Romanesque and Baroque styles, Gothic details and Rococo details. The history of Amalfi Cathedral is marked by a long series of transformations, remodeling and renovations.

Structure and exterior works of the Amalfi Cathedral

Amalfi Cathedral consists of two ancient buildings that now form the monumental complex: the Basilica of the Crucifix And the newer cathedral.

Climbing the steps in front of the cathedral, the first thing that strikes the eye is the distinctive neo-Moorish facade, renovated and remodeled by architect and urban planner Errico Alvino. The realization of the pediment was entrusted to Domenico Morelli, an Italian painter and politician, with the help of Paolo Vetri, his faithful disciple; the designs were translated into mosaic by the Salviati firm of Venice. Even today the shapes and colors stand out above the entrance to this magnificent place of worship. Next to the cathedral we find a splendid Romanesque-style bell tower, covered with precious mosaic tiles in the Arabian style, built between the 12th and 13th centuries.

The interior of Amalfi Cathedral

The entrance to Amalfi Cathedral is a magnificent bronze doorway from Constantinople.

The cathedral's interior features marble and elegant ornaments with 18th-century Baroque forms. The floor plan consists of a transept and apse, and the coffered ceiling is decorated with paintings telling the story of St. Andrew. The high altar, also in Baroque style, features a canvas depicting The Crucifixion of the saint, and is flanked by a painted wooden crucifix. An 18th-century statue of the patron saint, known as the "stipo," is instead kept in the church sacristy. The statue is carried in procession by Amalfitans during the annual celebrations dedicated to St. Andrew.

Also worth visiting is the Cathedral Crypt, with Baroque forms and rich stucco decorations, which holds the remains of St. Andrew. After the saint's martyrdom, his relics were moved from Patras to Constantinople, where they remained until 1208, when Cardinal Pietro Capuano recovered them during the Fourth Crusade and brought them back to Amalfi. The central marble altar is the work of Domenico Fontana. Also in the cathedral we find a large bronze statue of St. Andrew by Michelangelo Naccherino, a marble statue of St. Lawrence by Pietro Bernini, father of Gian Lorenzo, and one of St. Stephen by a local sculptor.

History of the Amalfi Cathedral

The cathedral was founded in the ninth century at the behest of Duke Manson I and complemented a pre-existing basilica, the Basilica of the Crucifix, itself built on an early Christian temple.

The two initially separate places of worship were unified into a single Romanesque church after the Year One Thousand, initially consisting of six aisles, later reduced for the construction of the Cloister of Paradise, a cemetery for the city's noble families.

The cathedral closely reflects Amalfi's own history: the richness of architectural styles (Romanesque, Baroque, Rococo, with definite Arab-Byzantine imprints) are signs both of the commercial and political autonomy achieved by Amalfi at the time when it was one of the Maritime Republics, both of the dominations it underwent later. The structure underwent several transformations: the two Churches were again separated, furthermore, after several remodels, in 1861 a very strong wind destroyed part of the façade, which was already in a poor state of preservation, and a proper renovation was necessary.

The facade as we see it today was designed by Errico Alvino in the 19th century. The architect's intent was to be as faithful as possible to the facade before the collapse, but Alvino's design was considered by many critics of the time to be a restoration that had little to do with the ancient facade. The current decorations, reconstructed after the collapse, are mosaics depicting Christ enthroned among the Evangelists, the work of Domenico Morelli. The atrium before the entrance connects the Cloister of Paradise with the oldest Basilica of the Crucifix and with a Romanesque-style bell tower.

The Cloister of Paradise

From the portico of the cathedral there is access to the Cloister of Paradise, a structure built in the 13th century, in Romanesque style with Moorish influences, to serve as a cemetery for Amalfi's noble families. Connected to the archbishop's palace, it consists of a four-sided portico with cross vaults, pointed arches, coupled columns and interlaced arches of Moorish influence. There are six frescoed chapels that belonged to local families, and we find inside a charming garden with palm trees, surrounded by porticoes with slender white columns. Inside were kept sarcophagi of illustrious Amalfitan families, five of which still remain today, featuring high-relief representations of episodes from Greek and Roman mythology and sacred images.

The Diocesan Museum of Amalfi

Inside the Cloister of Paradise and the Basilica of the Crucifix, starting July 1, 1995, the Amalfi Diocesan Museum was opened to preserve and enhance the historical and artistic heritage of the Amalfi Cathedral.