Langlete in Estonia Finland Italy

European Project 2013-2014

AMALFI s!ort" #I$%&'(
)entro di $toria e )ultura A*al+itana - A*al+i
%!e ,ree- geograp!er $tra.one in t!e I century /0)0 states t!at t!e coast +ro*
$orrento to Paestu* 1as co*pletely unin!a.ited2 1it! t!e e3ception o+ Etruscan
Marcina2 t!e present day 4ietri sul Mare0
%!e origin o+ t!e na*e A*al+i is uncertain5 !ere are t1o assu*ptions6
In t!e I century A070 +ound on a to*. in /ene8ento is t!e *ention o+ 9gens A*ar+ia:2
t!is could .e t!e proo+ o+ an e3isting 'o*an +a*ily o1ning a 8illa on t!e )oast0 &t!er
re*ains2 suc! as colu*ns and capitals 1ere +ound in 8arious .uildings and are t!e
proo+ t!at t!e +irst in!a.itants 1ere ric! 'o*an +a*ilies2 1!o spent so*e leisure ti*e
on t!e )oast6 :4illa 'o*ana: in Minori is t!e .est preser8ed .uilding o+ t!e ti*e0
/et1een t!e I4 and t!e 4 century2 *any 'o*ans le+t 'o*e .ecause o+ t!e .ar.arian
in8asions2 one o+ t!eir +irst sailing directions 1as )onstantinopole2 .ut t!ey s!ip
1rec-ed so*e1!ere .et1een Palinuro and Pisciotta2 1!ere t!ey +ounded Melp!es0 It
1asn;t long .e+ore t!ey !ad to loo- +or a *ore secure en8iron*ent and *o8e to t!e
Monti Lattari0 $cala 1as t!eir +irst settle*ent0 %!ey na*ed A*al+i in latin6 a
Melp!i" one o+ t!e to1ns t!ey +ounded0
In <=> Pope ,regarious Magnus appointed PIME?I& as +irst /is!op o+ )i8itas
A*al+itana0 More t!an a to1n2 it 1as a +ortress2 .ecause t!e Lo*.ard +ro* /ene8ento
t!reatened t!e siege2 as A*al+i 1as part o+ t!e 7uc!y o+ ?aples0 In @A< Arec!i II
sac-ed so*e o+ t!e 8illages on t!e coast0 In A3= a+ter t!e +ig!ts 1it! $icardo2 7u-e o+
/ene8ento2 A*al+i declared its independence and .eca*e an autono*ous repu.lic0
%!e Mariti*e 'epu.lic o+ A*al+i 1as soon to .eco*e an i*portant *ariti*e
co**ercial centre2 trading 1it! t!e 1!ole o+ t!e Italian peninsula2 ?ort! A+rica2 t!e
Middle East and t!e /yBantine E*pire0 %!e 'epu.lic .oug!t spices2 precious stones2
carpets and +a.rics +ro* t!e Ara.s and sold t!e* t!roug!out Italy0
839-1135: THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMALFI
As a Mariti*e 'epu.lic A*al+i 1as -no1n in t!e Mediterranean area and as +ar as
India0 Its galleys and galleons !ad +ree entrance to t!e *ajor ports6 1are!ouses and
Cuarters 1ere present in t!e *ain cities2 li-e )onstantinople2 )airo2 Derusale* and
Antioc!0 A 1!ole area .elonged to A*al+i people 1it! streets2 sCuares2 !ouses and
c!urc!es0 In )onstantinople t!e )!urc! 9$anta Maria A*alp!itanoru*: 1as
dedicated to $t0Andre15 in Derusale* .e+ore .uilding t!e )!urc! $0Maria Latina t!e
po1er+ul +a*ily Mauro2 in 10402 !ad .uilt a !ospital 1it! 2000 .eds21!ere t!e *on-s
o+ $0Do!n assisted pilgri*s and t!e 1ounded2 during t!e First )rusade0 Fra ,erardo
$asso2 at t!e .eginning o+ t!e EII century organised an &rder o+ Fnig!ts2 1!ic!
continued to assist t!e sic- and t!e Pilgri*s2 .ut later on t!e Fnig!ts +oug!t +or t!e
#oly $epulc!re0 %!e descendants o+ t!is &rder are no1 t!e Fnig!ts o+ t!e &rder o+
Malta0
%!e A*al+ians 1ere not only good *erc!ants2 t!ey 1ere cle8er politicians and -ept
+riendly relations 1it! all t!e peoples o+ t!e countries t!ey !ad contacts 1it!0
Fro* t!e Ara.s t!ey learned !o1 to produce paper0
%!e tradition o+ paper *a-ing in A*al+i !as t!ere+ore a long and glorious !istory0
In t!e *ost o.scure and unsettled period o+ t!e Middle Ages A*al+i !ad an e3tensi8e
and +lorid co**erce2 Paper *a-ing 1as lin-ed in its origin to t!is co**ercial
acti8ity0 %!e Ara.s !ad learnt paper-*a-ing +ro* t!e )!inese and di++used its use
and production in Gestern Europe0
%!e A*al+ians 1ere t!e +irst Europeans to co*e into contact 1it! paper in its
original place o+ production %!ey soon esta.lis!ed t!eir o1n paper production2
1!ic! .eca*e a real source o+ inco*e2 e8en a+ter t!e decline o+ t!e *ariti*e
repu.lic0 In t!e E4III century t!ere 1ere a.out 1> paper *ills in t!e area0 Paper
1as a necessity +or e8ery day li+e and it could .e easily produced0 In ti*e t!e use o+
paper .eca*e 8ery co**on and t!e cler-s o+ t!e curia .egan to use paper instead o+
parc!*ent0 %!e paper produced in A*al+i 1as o+ +ine Cuality and 1as 8ery *uc! in
de*and 0
Fro* t!e Ara.2 A*al+ians also learned !o1 to gro1 le*ons2 1!ic! in t!e A*al+i
*ild cli*ate +ound an ideal !a.itat and t!eir culti8ation trans+or*ed t!e landscape2
.ecause so*e -ind o+ terraces !ad to .e .uilt on t!e steep slopes0 Ara. arc!itecture
1as also re+lected in t!e to1n style0 0 Many areas in A*al+i 1ere .uilt in a clear
Ara. style2 specially in t!e Cuarter 9Arsina:
A*al+ians ac!ie8ed *ore in+luence and i*portance 1it! t!e 9%a.ula A*alp!itana:
1!ic! is a Mariti*e )ode regulating t!e sea tra++ic6 t!e +irst 21 c!apters 1ere
1ritten in Latin and date .ac- to t!e EI century0 %!e 9societates *aris: sea
societies" 1ere +or*ed .y t!e o1ners o+ t!e s!ips2 t!e *erc!ants2 t!e sailors2 1!o
!ad a s!are in t!e inco*e0
A*al+ians; i*portance 1as so great t!at t!ey e8en *inted t!eir o1n golden and
sil8er coin t!e 9%ari:2 1!ic! is t!e Ara. +or 9+res!ly *inted: and it 1as legal tender
until t!e EIII century6 E*peror Frederic II ordered t!e a.olition0

The young Republ! 1as ruled .y )o*ites counts"2 elected a*ong t!e ric!
+a*ilies2 1!o t!ere+ore put t!e title a+ter t!eir +a*ily na*e t!en .y t!e pre+ects and
+inally .y t!e 97ogi: 7u-es"0
%!e territory e3tended +ro* )etara to Positano22 to Agerola to ,ragnano5 it also
included t!e isle o+ )apri0
%!e A*al+ians 1ere already cle8er sailors during t!e 4III century0 %!ey carried
ti*.er +ro* t!e 1oods o+ t!e area to t!e Ara. ports in ?ort! A+rica2 1!ere t!ey sold
it +or gold2 1!ic! t!ey used to .uy spices2 +a.rics2 precious stones and je1els in t!e
Middles East00 /ac- in A*al+i t!ey sold t!e goods to ric! and no.le +a*ilies in
A*al+i and all o8er Italy0
In =@22 t!e Ara. I.n #a8Cal descri.ed A*al+i as t!e ric!est to1n in t!e Lo*.ard
region0 Anot!er 1riter ,ugliel*o +ro* Puglia a++ir*s t!at people +ro* di++erent
places and countries 1ere at !o*e in A*al+i sCuares0 %!ere 1as a cos*opolitan and
cultured at*osp!ere in to1n0
Hn+ortunately t!e territory 1as 8ery restricted and A*al+i did not !a8e a *ilitary
*ac!ine to de+end itsel+2 +urt!er*ore t!e Prince o+ $alerno intended to anne3 t!e
'epu.lic and do*inate it0 %!ere 1ere +reCuent +ig!ts2 *urders and conspiracies0 In
10@3 t!e 7u-e o+ A*al+i $ergio I4 and !is son ,io8anni as-ed t!e !elp o+ 'o.erto il
,uiscardo2 7u-e o+ Alta8illa2 1!o guaranteed so*e autono*y2 .ut !is successor
'uggero tried to repress t!e spirit o+ independence o+ A*al+i0 In addition to t!is in
113< an ar*y o+ t!e ri8al Mariti*e 'epu.lic Pisa sac-ed t!e to1n0 %!e Pisani ca*e
.ac- in 113@ 1it! t!e intention o+ de+initely destroying t!e to1n0 %!e people paid t!eir
sa+ety 1it! gold2 .ut not 'a8ello and $cala2 1!ic! resisted to t!e ene*y2 and 1ere
de+eated and destroyed0
PE'I&7 &F 7E)A7E?)E
%!e opulence o+ t!e Mariti*e 'epu.lic 1as .y no1 only a *e*ory2 and *ariti*e
trade 1as li*ited to contacts 1it! $out!ern Italy0 A .rie+ scienti+ic and cultural
re8i8al occurred around t!e 1200s2 t!e century in 1!ic! Fla8io ,ioia +ro* A*al+i
per+ected t!e )o*pass0 7id Fla8io ,ioia really e3istI %!ere is no proo+ o+ !is
e3istence2 .ut in any case t!e )o*pass re*ains t!e glory o+ A*al+i0
In t!is period t!e Arc!i.is!ops !ad a great in+luence on t!e people0 )ardinal Pietro
)apuano 2 during t!e 4 )rusade2 +ro* )onstantinopole *ade o++ 1it! t!e .ones o+
$aint Andre16 once in A*al+i !e !id t!e relic under t!e +loor o+ t!e )at!edral2 +or t!e
+ear o+ $aracen attac-s2 and +or t!is reason !e enlarged t!e .uilding0In 12<< Pope
Ale3ander I4 ga8e A*al+i as a +ie+ to t!e #o!en.ruc- +a*ily2 %!ere 1asn;t a real
+eudal landlord2 t!oug! *any no.le +a*ilies still li8ed in t!e .eauti+ul .uildings o+
t!e to1n0 %!e Arc!.is!ops did a lot +or t!e to1n2 and t!ey 1ere t!e pre-e*inent
personages in t!e area0
&n 24
t!
?o8e*.er 1343 a terri+ic sea stor* destroyed t!e lo1 part o+ t!e to1n and
*any i*portant .uildings 1ere destroyed2 a*ong t!e*6 t!e 7ucal Palace2 a part o+
t!e ancient s!ip yards2 so*e o+ t!e to1n gates and 1alls2 *any !ouses0 &ur 1riter
Petrarca gi8es an accurate description o+ t!is0
%!e .ronBe doors o+ t!e )at!edral 1ere s*elt in )onstantinople in 10>20
In 13"8 a plague nearly !al8ed t!e population and not!ing 1as le+t o+ t!e past
splendour0
The #o$e%egn& o+ ?aples ga8e t!e 7uc!y o+ A*al+i to t!e $anse8erino +a*ily5 t!en
it passed to t!e )olonna +a*ily0 Al+onso d;Aragona de+eated t!e Frenc! dynasty
Anjou and .eca*e Fing o+ ?aples in l4<25 !is son Ferrante I ga8e A*al+i as a
1edding present to !is natural daug!ter Maria2 1!o *arried Antonio Piccolo*ini2 a
nep!e1 o+ Pope Pius II0 Many ne1 palaces 1ere .uilt5 t!e sCuares s1ar*ed 1it!
people2 *erc!ants2 sailors0 %!e econo*y o+ t!e to1n gre1 .ecause o+ ne1 acti8ities
in addition to t!e sea trade2 1!ic! 1as still i*portant0
An'ono (!!olo)n;s son Al+onso *arried ,io8anna d;Aragona o+ ,erace2 in 14=0
Go$*nn* is t!e +a*ous 7uc!ess 1!o inspired poets and play1rig!ts +ro* Italy2
$pain and England0
%!e +irst poet 1!o 1rote t!e story o+ t!e un!appy 7uc!ess 1as Matteo /andello2 a
+e1 years a+ter t!e tragedy0 #is 9no8ella: 1as translated into Englis! .y Gillia*
Painter2 and pro.a.ly t!is translation 1as t!e source o+ inspiration +or Do!n Ge.ster2
1!o 1rote t!e +a*ous tragedy 9%!e 7uc!ess o+ Mal+i: %!e $panis! 1riter Lope de
4ega pu.lis!ed 9El *ayordo*o de la 7uCuesa de A*al+i: *ore or less in t!e sa*e
period00
Th& & 'he un+o%'un*'e &'o%y o+ ,io8anna d;Aragona2 7uc!ess o+ A*al+i6 /orn into
t!e royal #ouse o+ Aragona in 14@A2 !er +at!er 1as poisoned and died .e+ore !er
.irt!5 *arried at t!e age o+ t1el8e2 s!e lost !er +irst c!ild in in+ancy5 .y t1enty s!e
1as a .eauti+ul2 ric! and lonely 1ido10 %!at s!e +ell in lo8e 1it! !er acco*plis!ed
young ste1ard2 Antonio /ologna2 1as accepted5 t!at s!e *arried !i* 1as not0 In
doing so ,io8anna de+ied t!e social *ores and con8entions o+ !er day and stalled t!e
o8er1eening a*.itions o+ !er .rot!er2 )ardinal Luigi d;Aragona0 In t!e acts o+
re8enge t!at +ollo1ed2 s!e2 !er !us.and and !er *aid all *et t!eir deat!0
He% &on Al+onso 1as 7u-e o+ A*al+i until 1<<=0 #e 1as eye1itness o+ an e8ent2
1!ic! in A*al+i is called 9%!e *iracle:
In 15"", e3actly on 2@
t!
Dune2 A*al+i 1as on t!e point to .e sac-ed .y t!e pirate
Fale-ad-din0 #is s!ips 1ere approac!ing t!e .eac!2 1!en t!e population gat!ered in
t!e )at!edral and in8o-ed $t0Andre12 t!eir Patron $aint0 $uddenly t!ere 1as a
terri+ic stor*2 t!e sea .eca*e so roug! t!at t!e s!ips !ad to sail a1ay2 and A*al+i
1as sa+e0 $ince t!at day2 e8ery year t!ere is a !ig! cele.ration and t!e p!eno*enon
o+ t!e 9Manna:0 %!e 9Manna: is a liCuid co*ing out +ro* t!e relic o+ t!e $aint t!e
occiput" se8eral ti*es a year0 It started on 2=
t!
?o8e*.er 13042 .ut t!ere are
in+or*ation o+ t!is e8ent e8en .e+ore2 in Patras2 1!ere $t0Andre1 died2 and in
)onstantinopole2 1!ere !is .ones 1ere translated00 %!is e8ent occurs +i8e ti*es in t!e
year6 on 2=
t!
?o8e*.er2 $t0Andre1;s +esti8y E8e5 on 2@
t!
Dune2 t!e day o+ t!e *iracle5
on 2A
t!
Danuary 2 t!e +inding o+ t!e occiput5 on 1
st
?o8e*.er2 on 21
st
?o8e*.er and
on A
t!
7ece*.er
In 1<A3 t!e 7uc!y 1as sold .y t!e last 7uc!ess +or de.ts and A*al+i .eca*e a +ree
land2 ruled .y t!e ?eapolitan 8ice royalty2 .ut ad*inistrated .y local *ayors0
%!e A*al+ians 1ere people o+ ideas and t!ey i*pro8ed t!eir acti8ities6 so*e paper
*ills2 an iron +oundry2 t!e gro1ing o+ le*ons2 grapes2 +ruits2 and t!e *a-ing o+
c!eese2 1ines2 por- products0 %!ey e8en produced +a.rics and t!e +actories used
1ater-po1er0 %!e course o+ t!e strea* 1as t!ere+ore t!e natural spot +or all t!ese
acti8ities0 An i*port-e3port acti8ity 1as t!e .ase o+ t!e local econo*y0 As 1!eat 1as
one o+ t!e i*ported goods2 t!an-s to t!e e3isting *ills t!ey soon .egan to produce
9pasta:0 For t!is type o+ acti8ity t!ey in8ented special *ac!ines 1!ic! *ade 1or-
easier0
Politically A*al+i 1as part o+ t!e Fingdo* o+ ?aples0 G!en ?apoleon;s .rot!er
,iuseppe .eca*e Fing o+ ?aples !e a.olis!ed all +eudal rig!ts and t!ere 1as t!e
ad*inistrati8e di8ision in Pro8inces2 7istricts and *unicipalities0

AMALFI AND THE GRAND TO-R
At t!e end o+ t!e E4III century A*al+i .eca*e +a*ous a*ong +oreign tra8ellers2 !ere
t!ey +ound t!e per+ect ro*antic landscape0 %!is inspired painters and 1riters +ro* all
o8er Europe and A*erica0
%!e .eauty o+ t!e Paper Mills 4alley 1it! t!e ruins o+ t!e old +actories2 !ouses2
*edie8al .uildings2 t!ic- 1it! 8egetation and t!e nu*erous +alls o+ t!e strea*2
appealed to poets and artists0
%!an-s to t!e *ild cli*ate and 1ar* 1inters A*al+i soon .eca*e a 1inter resort +or
+oreign tourists0 Many old con8ents 1ere trans+or*ed into !otels 1it! *ore and *ore
people .eing attracted .y t!e *onu*ents2 nature and t!e sea0