5 things to see in Tramonti
About 25 kilometers from our boutique hotel is Tramonti, a small enchanted village that offers a completely different scenario compared to the typical seascape of the Amalfi Coast. In fact, it rises in one of the wonderful internal valleys of the Lattari Mountains and is surrounded by dense woods. For the unparalleled healthiness of its air it is defined as the “green lung of the Amalfi Coast“. The village is made up of a mosaic of hamlets (thirteen) and boasts a rich religious architectural heritage, characterized by over fifteen churches and a convent.
What to see in Tramonti? Here are 5 things not to miss!
The Convent of San Francesco
At the foot of the Santa Maria hill, in the village of Polvica, stands the Convent of San Francesco. Immersed in the greenery of the mountain, it was built in the second half of the 15th century and suppressed several times. The current convent was rebuilt in the 18th century. Among the numerous works of art that can be admired inside we remember the marble bas-relief triptych representing St. Stephen, St. Anthony and St. Valentine, above these the Angel’s announcement to Mary. Adjacent to the church is the cloister, dating back to the first half of the 18th century and recently returned to its original architectural style, which invites prayer and reflection.
The Church of Sant’Erasmo
In the hamlet of Pucara it is possible to visit the Church of Sant’Erasmo. It was built in the first half of the 15th century on the remains of an older structure, dedicated to San Sebastiano, although its current appearance is the result of various reconstructions and transformations that have taken place over time. It has a single nave layout, with shallow chapels on the sides. Numerous works of art are preserved inside, some attributed to the school of Luca Giordano, among which stands out an altarpiece depicting the Virgin of Sorrows with her dead Son, in the center S. Maria Maddalena with S. Antonio and S. Leonardo.
The Church of the Ascension
In Paterno Sant’Arcangelo, another hamlet of Tramonti, there is one of the oldest religious buildings in the town, the Church of the Ascension. Built entirely of stone and partly dug into the rock, it dates back to the 9th-10th century. It has a single nave with side chapels and is dominated by a beautiful Romanesque style bell tower which extends over four floors. In the past she has been the protagonist of TV programs and cultural and religious events several times. The historic building recently underwent a careful restoration which brought it back to its former glory.
The rock chapel of San Michele Arcangelo
In the hamlet of Gete, next to the remains of the Church of S. Angelo (destroyed by a flood in 1735), there is the rock chapel dedicated to San Michele Arcangelo. According to some scholars it dates back to the period between the 8th and 12th centuries, according to others even to the 5th century. It stands inside a rock cavity and is in Gothic style with Romanesque details. It is divided into two naves, a larger one on the left and a smaller one on the right, whose vaults follow the shape of the rock. In the rock cavity there is also a necropolis, perhaps from the pagan era.
The Conservatory of Saints Joseph and Teresa
Finally, even if at the moment it looks like a ruin and can only be admired from the outside, the ancient Conservatory of Saints Joseph and Teresa is still worth a visit. Located in the hamlet of Pucara, it was built in the second half of the 17th century as a place of education for the daughters of Neapolitan nobles. In the 18th century it became a monastic complex while under Vittorio Emanuele II it was requisitioned to create a boarding school. According to tradition, it is here that Concerto was invented, a dark and very dense distillate of aromatic herbs with a unique and unmistakable taste, which turns out to be the oldest rosolio on the Amalfi Coast.
Featured photo © Pro Loco Tramonti
