Sunny beach" of Salerno.

When it comes to Salerno and its bay, the metaphor "Sunny Beach" is not a tribute to courtesy, the word "sunny" is the very essence of these places, the sun breathes in every pebble, grain and smile of Salerno.
Not only nature is sunny, but also culture.
Of particular interest is the history of the city during the Second Golden Age, which began with the formation in 847 of the Principality of Salerno.

The city of Salerno is located in the eponymous province of the region of Campania, in the picturesque Salerno Bay, south of Rome and Naples.
The high shore, the hills of which are covered with citrus groves, surround a wide sea bay,
Where Salerno - the old southern capital of the Normans - seeks to take its place among other Italian cities of the arts.
Here, as elsewhere in the Campania region, there is a large archaeological zone,
Since The province has attracted Greek colonists since the VII century BC.

Already in the days of Ancient Rome in place of modern Salerno was a developed settlement, but the peak of its development occurred in the Lombards era, built on the top of the hill impregnable fortress.
The development of culture at that time was unrivaled. Salerno was rightly called "the city of Hippocrates."
It was here that the famous Salernitan medical school arose.
Today Salerno, like the vast majority of cities on the Amalfi coast, is a popular resort.
Along with this, the city remains a strong industrial and agricultural center.





Much of the city's attractions date back to the reign of the Langobard dukes, and many architectural monuments of the late Middle Ages.
The center of Salerno's life has always been the main street, which has an incredibly rich history and represents today a mixture of museums and shopping tents.
From it and it is worth starting a trip around the city.

Trading street (via dei Mercanti)

Via dei Mercanti (street Kuptsov) - a busy street, whose name is associated with the name of Areca II, Duke of Lombards, who in the second half of the 8th century turned his duchy into a principality and adorned Salerno with memos that still bear witness to the luxury of those times.
Traditionally, local merchants lived and traded here, and residents, except for profitable purchases, received all the latest news.
If you want to feel the historical spirit of Salerno, be sure to wander through this ancient winding street.

But interest in the city is not only Via dei Mercanti.
During 13 centuries, historical monuments of art and architecture appeared in Salerno, retaining their splendor to the present day.


Cathedral (Cattedrale di Salerno)

In the historic part of the city of Salerno is the magnificent cathedral of San Matteo (1077).
The cathedral bears the name of St. Matthew - one of the four evangelists, whose remains were taken to the city in 954 and rest in a vaulted crypt under the main altar.


Duomo di Salerno

The cathedral is one of the most outstanding sights of the historic center of Salerno.
It was erected in the XI century, significantly modernized in the XVIII century and very badly damaged by the 1980 earthquake.
The cathedral was built in 1076-1085. By the order of Robert Gyuiskar. When the cathedral was rebuilt in the XVIII century. The portal with lions of the Romance style of the 11th century was preserved.


Remains of masonry in the cathedral of Salerno.

Climbing wide front staircases and bypassing the so-called "Gates of Lions", you can see the portico of rare beauty, the colonnade executed in Islamic style, the loggias decorated with colorful decorations, the fountain of the classical era, and to the left the bell tower of the 12th century.
To get to the church, we pass through the magnificent gate cast from bronze in Constantinople in 1099.

Inside the church you can see three arches, including the mosaic of San Matteo, two magnificent pulpits enameled with colored glass, a modern Easter chandelier and an iconostasis sparkling with decorations, mosaic floors, 16th century wooden seats, Roman and medieval tombs, marble fences of the main altar with Frescoes of Solimen, the grave of Pope Gregory VII, the funerary monument of Queen Margarita di Durcino, and finally the crypt, executed in the Baroque style, where the remains of San Matteo are buried.