Amalfi
Amalfi, a town and archiepiscopal see of Campania, Italy, in the Gulf of
Salerno. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto
(1315 meters, 4314 feet), surrounded by dramatic cliffs and coastal scenery.
Amalfi is first mentioned in the 6th century, and
soon acquired importance as a naval power. In the 9th century it shared with Venice and Gaeta the Italian
trade with the East, and in 848 its fleet went to the assistance of Pope Leo IV
against the Saracens.
It was then an independent republic with a
population of some 70,000, but in 1131 it was reduced by King Roger II of Sicily. In 1135 and 1137 it was
taken by the Pisans,
and rapidly declined in importance, though its maritime code, known as the Tavole
Amalfitane, was recognized in the Mediterranean
until 1570. In 1343 a large part of the town was destroyed by an inundation,
and its harbor is now of little importance.
Amalfi is the main town of the coast on which it
is located, named Costiera Amalfitana, and is today an important
touristic destination together with other towns on the same coast, such as Positano, Sorrento, and
others.
