Nowadays, the Amalfi Coast of Italy is perhaps best known for
being one of the country's main tourist destinations, and for its quaint
yet luxurious offer of accommodation in the form of Amalfi villas. Next
to Tuscany and Venice, this stretch of coast attracts the most tourists
to the 'Boot of Europe' each summer, with its well-balanced mix of
beaches, walking trails, breathtaking sights and, indeed, history.
In fact, while a little lost in the tourist shuffle, the history of this coast is just as long and interesting as that of any other region of Italy, and indeed more so than many. Far from being defined solely by luxury Amalfi villas, the area genuinely offers enough background to interest history enthusiasts, as well as to help put the local monuments into perspective.
Early History
A large portion of the region's early history ended up taking a back seat to the gruesome and tragic happenings in nearby Pompeii and Herculaneum. Compared to these tragedies, the fate of the little Roman settlement prised from Neapolitan hands seemed less than relevant, and it was thus the region managed to evolve in a relatively understated way.
But living in the shadow of these infamous occurrences by no means meant that the settlement's history was uneventful. Much to the contrary; in 1073, the town was conquered by the Normans and added to the Kingdom of Sicily, where it would spend the next several centuries.
Nor were the Middle Ages a simple time for the residents here; trade volumes for the settlement slowly dwindled, going from a national scale to a much more regional one, mostly concentrating on Southern Italy. The final nail in the coffin was an outbreak of plague in 1638, which wiped out nearly half the town's population.
Rebirth
It might have seemed as though the plague outbreak had spelled the end for the town, but the opposite was actually true: the settlement slowly, but gradually, began to rise from its ashes and experience a shift in fortune. Alongside other notable regional towns like Sorrento (coming off centuries of Turkish domination), Positano and Ravello, it began a 'second existence'. But while the other towns hinged this second life on commerce, Amalfi chose to focus on tourism, becoming one of Italy's main attractions in this regard. Needless to say, this was when the first few tourist-driven Amalfi villas began to appear, although they were nowhere near as numerous as they are today. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the region continued to expand, slowly approaching what it is today.
It is clear, then, that the history of this stunning coastline leaves little to be desired when compared to those of other regions, either in Italy or elsewhere in Europe. While not as eventful as that of many other towns, the chronology of this part of Italy is nonetheless interesting enough to keep it from being defined simply by its popular Amalfi villas.
In fact, while a little lost in the tourist shuffle, the history of this coast is just as long and interesting as that of any other region of Italy, and indeed more so than many. Far from being defined solely by luxury Amalfi villas, the area genuinely offers enough background to interest history enthusiasts, as well as to help put the local monuments into perspective.
Early History
A large portion of the region's early history ended up taking a back seat to the gruesome and tragic happenings in nearby Pompeii and Herculaneum. Compared to these tragedies, the fate of the little Roman settlement prised from Neapolitan hands seemed less than relevant, and it was thus the region managed to evolve in a relatively understated way.
But living in the shadow of these infamous occurrences by no means meant that the settlement's history was uneventful. Much to the contrary; in 1073, the town was conquered by the Normans and added to the Kingdom of Sicily, where it would spend the next several centuries.
Nor were the Middle Ages a simple time for the residents here; trade volumes for the settlement slowly dwindled, going from a national scale to a much more regional one, mostly concentrating on Southern Italy. The final nail in the coffin was an outbreak of plague in 1638, which wiped out nearly half the town's population.
Rebirth
It might have seemed as though the plague outbreak had spelled the end for the town, but the opposite was actually true: the settlement slowly, but gradually, began to rise from its ashes and experience a shift in fortune. Alongside other notable regional towns like Sorrento (coming off centuries of Turkish domination), Positano and Ravello, it began a 'second existence'. But while the other towns hinged this second life on commerce, Amalfi chose to focus on tourism, becoming one of Italy's main attractions in this regard. Needless to say, this was when the first few tourist-driven Amalfi villas began to appear, although they were nowhere near as numerous as they are today. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the region continued to expand, slowly approaching what it is today.
It is clear, then, that the history of this stunning coastline leaves little to be desired when compared to those of other regions, either in Italy or elsewhere in Europe. While not as eventful as that of many other towns, the chronology of this part of Italy is nonetheless interesting enough to keep it from being defined simply by its popular Amalfi villas.
Jonathan Magoni is Senior Manager of Cottages to Castles, a
family owned company specialising in high quality holiday villas,
apartments and cottages in Italy. For spectacular Amalfi villas
or accommodation in the Italian lakes, ski resorts or city centres, we
offer only the very best. Discover Italy at your own pace and without
time restrictions in our hand picked villas and cottages.
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