Vietri Sul Mare

Before the 13 pearls of the Amalfi Coast coming from Salerno , nestled in the most protected of the homonymous gulf , Vietri sul Mare is situated at the foot of Monte San Liberatore and dominates the valley of the river Bonea . E ‘ known throughout the world for the acclaimed ceramic handicrafts lively polychrome , whose first records date back to the fifteenth century. Although the legends tell us that the greek hero Jason, during his wanderings in search of the Golden Fleece , founded on these shores the ancient ” Marcina ” (probably corresponding to the current Marina, district of Vietri sul Mare) , the country has Etruscan origins and played the role of an outpost in the centuries on the sea for commercial traffic to the inland areas. Occupied by the Romans (there are numerous archaeological finds dating back to this period, unearthed in the village of Marina) , during the Lombard became a suburb of the city of Salerno. It then passed under the jurisdiction of the Benedictine Abbey of the Holy Trinity of Cava de ‘ Tirreni and became part of the town of Cava de ‘ Tirreni until 1806 , when it gained administrative autonomy. Among the sites of interest, not to : – The Church of St. John the Baptist, built in the seventeenth century in a late Renaissance Naples, a single nave with a transept and dome covered with majolica tiles . Outside stands a tall bell tower. The structure, dating from the tenth century, it underwent several alterations over the centuries . Inside is a fine marble altar of the seventeenth century , a coffered ceiling in gold , a statue of the saint in alabaster , a sixteenth-century altarpiece attributed to Andrea da Salerno and a painted crucifix eleventh century. – The Confraternity of the Annunciation and of the Rosary, in the XVII century , with a facade decorated with painted pottery ; – The Church of the Madonna delle Grazie , in the village of Raito , dating back to the sixteenth century ; – The Church of Santa Margherita , in the hamlet of Dawning ; – the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie , in the locality Benincasa ; – Solimene Palace , built after World War II by Paolo Soleri . Inside, there is a vast exhibition of contemporary ceramics ; – The former Palace Taiani with picturesque dovecote tower , also used as a watchtower anti- Saracen ; – The XVI century tower Crestarella, built on a rock , part of the coastal defense system ; – The defensive tower of Marina di Dawning ; – Villa Guariglia , in the village of Raito , once owned by the Ambassador of Italy Raffaele Guariglia , surrounded by a beautiful park full of Mediterranean vegetation. Today it houses the Museum of Ceramics of Vietri and Study Centre “Raffaele Guariglia ” as well as concerts and cultural events especially during the summer months. – The Museum of Ceramics of Vietri, housed in the Tower Belvedere of Villa Guariglia in Raito , typical examples of local pottery production , as well as significant examples of pottery Campania, Calabria , Puglia and Liguria ; – The Museum of artistic and industrial Manuel Cargaleiro inspired by the historical model of the first museums artistic Industriai , promoting the development of contemporary ceramic art , with particular reference to the tradition of Vietri and the relationship with the other countries of the Mediterranean basin. – The villages of Molina ( so called because of the presence of water mills ) , Benincasa , Dragonea , and Raito Dawning ; – The “two brothers ” , small rocks that emerge from the waters of Marina , which are linked to many legends ; – The many artisan shops that make and expose ceramic products by the bright and warm colors , in typical style ” Vietri ceramics .”