The Church of San Gennaro Bishop and Martyr in Praiano
The Church of San Gennaro Bishop and Martyr in Praiano is one of the most beautiful religious buildings on the Amalfi Coast. Situated in the square of the same name (about one kilometre from our boutique hotel), it is harmoniously integrated in a highly evocative natural environment, characterised to the north by the slopes of the mountain behind and to the south by a plateau that extends to the cliffs overlooking the sea.
The church was officially built on 18 August 1589 and was erected from the foundations on the ground made available by the demolition of an old church, also dedicated to St. Gennaro. The latter, probably dating back to the 13th century, was in a critical condition at the time (1589). Work on the new church was completed in 1602, as reported by Amalfi’s historical engineer Matteo Camera. Although its current appearance is the result of various reconstructions and remodelling over time.
The church’s exterior features a façade (rebuilt in 1931 to a design by master Gioacchino Parlato of Positano) vertically tripartite and decorated with white stucco elements on an ochre background. The central module stands out for its width and the presence of a monumental portal in lava stone surmounted by a frieze with the image of the titular saint. The side sections of the façade each have a portal surmounted by an oval oculus. The top, occupying only the space of the central module, is formed by a masonry sail with a lowered arch. On the south side of the façade stands the elegant 18th-century bell tower, which consists of five superimposed orders. The first three are square with the third bearing a round clock on majolica tiles on its front side. The fourth and fifth orders are octagonal in plan. The spire is in the shape of a pyramidal bulb and is covered with Vietri-made two-coloured majolica tiles. On the outside, the beautiful and colourful oval-shaped dome decorated with multicoloured majolica tiles in the traditional Amalfi style stands out.
The interior is in the shape of a Latin cross, divided into three naves separated by rectangular pillars. The nave is covered by a barrel vault with lunettes, while the side naves by ribbed vaults. Several chapels adorned with marble altars open along the aisles, including the Chapel of the Sacred Heart (built in 1898 by Domenico Rispoli-Zingone), with a dome and balustrade, which opens into the right aisle. The church has an interior richly decorated with Baroque stuccoes, bas-reliefs and floral motifs. Very beautiful and of exquisite workmanship is the majolica floor (the original from 1771 was replaced by a copy from 1966) reproducing polychrome geometries and naturalistic elements in strong colours. Among the most significant canvases from an artistic point of view are the painting of the Martyrdom of St. Gennaro (in the fifth chapel of the left aisle), the painting of the Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew by Giovan Battista Lama in 1747, the 16th-century panel of the Madonna del Carmine (in the sixth chapel) and the Last Supper by Francesco Saverio Corbelli from 1761 (in the sacristy).
The church overlooks a large square decorated with characteristic majolica paving, from which one can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view of the surrounding coastline. Every year, on the occasion of the Luminaria di San Domenico (an ancient tradition of Praiano’s rich historical and cultural heritage celebrated between the end of July and 4 August), the square in front of the church is illuminated by over 2000 candles that create spectacular plays of light.
