Amalfi (La Costiera Amalfitana) is a city and municipality in Italy, in the Campania region, in the province of Salerno. It is located in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea bay.
The “Amalfi Coast” has been designated since 1997 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
History : Amalfi is mentioned for the first time in the 6th century as an important naval force, known for grain, salt, timber and slaughter trade. An important trading partner at the time was the Byzantine Empire, particularly the trade of silk that came from Amalfi through the East to the West. The Amalfi traders, moreover, were the first to use gold for land, when in the rest of Italy until that time there was still the exchange of items as a means of trading. In the 8th and 9th centuries it was essentially dominated by the Mediterranean and trade with the Byzantine Empire, when Venice still made the first steps of development. In 848 the Amalfi fleet participated in the campaign of Pope Leo IV against the Saracens. From the 7th century to 1075 it was another pole towards Pisa and Genoa in prosperity and naval power. The population of the city then reached 70,000 inhabitants.
In 1073 it was captured by the Normans, who were already occupied by much of southern Italy. The city fell into decline after its conquest of Pisa, but remained densely populated in the 13th and 14th centuries. In the Middle Ages, Amalfi was known for the law and mathematics schools that existed. It is said that from Amalfi came Flavio Goja, inventor of the compass. In 1343, much of the city was destroyed by a tsunami, resulting in a definite decline.
Monuments and sights : Amalfi dominates the Cathedral of St. Andrew, where part of his remains are hidden in a crypt, which were transferred in 1210 from Constantinople. Also, a golden shrine with the saint carriage is also kept. Today : Today, Amalfi is a small town that dominates the homonymous bay, which is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is considered one of the most important tourist destinations of both Campania and the whole of Italy. The area is known for the famous local lemon liqueur, limoncello, as well as handmade paper used for wedding invitations, greeting cards and more.
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