Amalfi Coast

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Costiera Amalfitana
Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List

Panorama Amalfi Coast
Type Cultural
Criteria ii, iv, v
Reference 830
UNESCO region Europe
Inscription history
Inscription 1997 (21st Session)
Location of Amalfi Coast in Italy.

The Amalfi Coast (Italian: Costiera Amalfitana) is a stretch of coastline on the southern coast of the Salerno Gulf in the Province of Salerno in Southern Italy. The Amalfi Coast is a popular tourist destination for the region and Italy as a whole, attracting thousands of tourists annually.[1] In 1997, the Amalfi Coast was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a cultural landscape.[2]

History

During the 10th–11th centuries, the Duchy of Amalfi existed on the territory of the Amalfi Coast, centered in the town of Amalfi. The Amalfi coast was later controlled by the Principality of Salerno, until Amalfi was sacked by the Republic of Pisa in 1137.[3]

Geography

Like the rest of the region, the Amalfi Coast lies in a Mediterranean climate, featuring warm summers and mild winters. It is located on the relatively steep southern shore of the Sorrentine Peninsula, leaving little room for rural and agricultural territories.[4] The coast comprises 11,231 hectares between the Gulf of Naples and the Gulf of Salerno.[5] The only land route to the Amalfi Coast is the 40 kilometres (25 mi) long Strada Statale 163 which runs along the coastline from the town of Vietri sul Mare in the east to Positano in the west. Thirteen municipalities are located on the Amalfi Coast, many of them centered on tourism.[6]

Municipalities

Municipality Frazioni Attractions
Vietri sul Mare Albori, Benincasa, Dragonea,[lower-alpha 1] Molina, Raito Church of Saint John Baptist
Cetara Fuenti Tower of Cetara
Maiori Erchie, Ponteprimario, San Pietro, Santa Maria delle Grazie, Vecite Collegiata di Santa Maria, Castle of San Nicola de Thoro Plano, Santa Maria de Olearia
Tramonti Campinola, Capitignano, Cesarano, Corsano, Figlino, Gete, Novella, Paterno Sant'Arcangelo, Paterno Sant'Elia, Pietre, Polvica,[lower-alpha 2] Ponte, Pucara Conservatory of Pucara, Rupestrian Church in Gete
Minori Montecita, Torre Church of Santa Trofimena and the ancient Roman villa
Ravello Casa Bianca, Castiglione, Marmorata, Sambuco, Torello Villa Cimbrone, Villa Rufolo, San Giovanni del Toro, and the Duomo (Cathedral)
Scala Campidoglio, Minuta, Pontone Scala Cathedral
Atrani none Churches of San Salvatore del Birecto and Santa Maria Maddalena
Amalfi Lone, Pastena, Pogerola, Tovere, Vettica Minore Amalfi Cathedral, and its cloister (Italian: Chiostro del Paradiso)
Conca dei Marini none Main church of Saint John Baptist and the Emerald Cave
Furore Fiordo di Furore, Marina di Praia[lower-alpha 3] Fjord of Furore
Praiano Vettica Maggiore Churches of San Luca and San Gennaro and Saint John Baptist
Positano Montepertuso, Nocelle Church of Santa Maria Assunta
Panoramic view of the town of Amalfi seen from the pier with the Amalfi Cathedral in the center

Economy

The Amalfi Coast is known for its production of limoncello liqueur as the area is a known cultivator of lemons, known as sfusato amalfitano in Italian, which are grown in terraced gardens along the entire coast between February and October.[7] Amalfi is also a known maker of a hand-made thick paper which is called bambagina.[8] Other renowned local products are a particular kind of anchovies (local Italian: alici) from Cetara, and the colorful handmade ceramics from Vietri.

Transport

There are buses and ferries along the Amalfi Coast.[9] There are also boat excursions from Positano and Amalfi.

Airport

The nearest airport is the Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport. However, the most used airport to reach the area from abroad is Naples International Airport (Napoli-Capodichino).

In popular culture

View of Atrani from the coast
Panoramic view of Positano

The rulers of Amalfi are the central figures in Webster's Jacobean tragedy Duchess of Malfi.

In the last episode of the popular TV series Entourage, Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) and Mrs. Gold (Perrey Reeves) are seen relaxing at the Amalfi Coast when Ari receives a phone call to become the chairman of Time Warner.

The Amalfi Coast is a popular destination among tourists. It was featured in Positano, a short story written by American author John Steinbeck in 1953.[10] It was also the setting in "Finding Positano, A Love Story" written by author William James in 2010.

The Amalfi Coast also serves as a setting for fictional tracks in the Forza Motorsport 3,[11] Forza Motorsport 4 and Gran Turismo 4.

The city of Positano featured prominently in scenes of the film Under the Tuscan Sun.

It is also referenced in the Beyoncé song "Upgrade U" featuring Jay-Z.

The Coast is also mentioned several times in "The Coast of Amalfi", a song by Steve Harley, appearing on his 2005 album The Quality of Mercy.

In the spy comedy Knight and Day, Tom Cruise's character speaks of living on the Amalfi coast with nothing but a backpack and a motorcycle.

It is also referenced in the Drake song "Killer" featuring Nipsey Hu$$le.

In season 5 of the popular TV show Psych, the Amalfi coast is the proposed vacation spot for Juliet O'Hara and love interest Declan Rand.

Audrey Hepburn stars in a Galaxy chocolate commercial set on the Amalfi coast. Caught in traffic, she accepts an offer to ride in a male interest's car and switches transport. She is last seen riding up the coast.

Federico Fellini filmed some scenes of his movie Roma on the Amalfi Coast, and included shots of author Gore Vidal, who lived there at the time.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Includes the localities of Iaconti and San Vincenzo.
  2. ↑ Polvica is the municipal seat of Tramonti.
  3. ↑ Partly included in the municipality of Praiano.

References

  1. ↑ "Bay of Naples & Amalfi Coast History". Unique Costiera. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  2. ↑ "Costiera Amalfitana". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  3. ↑ Matthews, Jeff. "Naples". Around Naples Encyclopedia. University of Maryland University College. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  4. ↑ "Amalfi Geography". Authentic Italy. Archived from the original on 4 July 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  5. ↑ http://www.italia.it/en/travel-ideas/unesco-world-heritage-sites/amalfi-coast.html
  6. ↑ "Amalfi People and Culture". Authentic Italy. Archived from the original on 5 August 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  7. ↑ "National cultivars". Limmi. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  8. ↑ "The Amalfi Coast Paper Museum". Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  9. ↑ "Amalfi coast bus & ferries: Timetables". Theamalficoast.net. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  10. ↑ "Positano by John Steinbeck". FortuneCity. May 1953. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  11. ↑ "Forza 3's Ferrari Collection, Amalfi Coast Track Pictured". ShackNews. Retrieved 30 June 2011.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Amalfi Coast.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Amalfi Coast.

Coordinates: 40°38′N 14°36′E / 40.633°N 14.600°E / 40.633; 14.600

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