v G. Amendola - p.za S Giacomo - Chiesa di S GIACOMO a PLATEA - v G. Amendola - p.za S Francesco - chiesa e convento di S FRANCESCO - GROTTA dell'ANNUNZIATA - v Torricella - CASTELLO MIRAMARE.
DIFFICULTY : AGEVOLE
TIME: 30 MINUTI

          We will start our walk discovering the lower part of Maiori, the seafront and beach...
Leaving the obelisk of S. Maria a Mare behind us, (erected in 1990), we cross v. Giovanni Amendola to find after a few metres the piazza St. Giacomo, near

ST. GIACOMO A PLATEA
          In this church of the XIII century, because of an ancient privilege of the city of Maiori that lasted until the XVIII century the Archbishop of Amalfi took possession of the entire Diocese. Inside the church a superb "MADONNA di PORTO SALVO", a seventeenth century statue of the Apostles "FILIPPO and GIACOMO MINORE", and in wooden box a precious if somewhat curious "MADONNA BAMBINA" of the late '700's...

          Then at the side of the alter the entrance to the Archconfraternity "MORTIS et ORATIONE", founded in the XVI century. In these rooms it is possible to admire the vestments and the insignia of the order, worn for the Vespers of Holy week, and documents that are a testament to a long and glorious history...

          We leave taking the seafront towards the west, the first buildings we come to, at the time of the Republic held the Admiralty, the Customs and the salt warehouses. A little further ahead passing the entrance to v. Capitolo, the quarter of S. Tecla (named after the small, old church of mariners), and the ancient seat of the Greater Arsenals...

          At the end of our walk...

S. FRANCESCO CONVENT
          Built in 1405, with the passing centuries the complex was at the centre of many disastrous happenings that made necessary the restoration and the complete rebuilding. The last was in 1938 when the facade was rebuilt and on the great portal of the late 1500's, a ceramic statue of the Saint of the poor people was placed...

          The church is in rococo style but with many later elements, along the walls a series of small chapels of the patrons, the local patrician families. To note amongst the many that of the family STAIBANO dated 1500's worked in fine marble that catches the attention, it is thought to precede the church, most probably part of the Temple of the MADONNA del SOCCORSO (patronage of the congregation of farm-workers), over which the present convent was built. Also of interest that of MEZZACAPO of the XVI century decorated with "The HOLY GHOST ADORED by ANGELS" of the seventeenth century Neapolitan school...

          Worth noting: the MAIN ALTAR and the CHOIR STALLS in walnut and panels of the school of Andrea Sabatini (behind the bench the remains of anaphase of earlier date).
A wealth of artistic works to be seen.
The wooden statue of "St. FRANCIS about to receive the stigmata" of 1598, the statue of the XV century, "MADONNA del SOCCORSO", of Laurana and by the altar and in the gallery of the convent many notable paintings:

          - "The CORONATION of the VIRGIN" and "SS. ANTONIO and BERNARDINO", by Giovanni Di Gaeta;
          - "The CALVARY" of the Flemish school of the XV - XVI century;
          - "The DESCENT from the CROSS" by Andrea Sabatini;
          - "The ASCENSION", by the German painter D'Errico.
          - lo "SPIRITO SANTO ADORATO da ANGELI" di Scuola Napoletana settecentesca... 

          Please do not miss the convent gardens before leaving. Sweet smelling and silent like all cloistered gardens, at the far end of the garden you can admire the "GROTTO of S. BERNARDINO" and the SPRING that the Saint made gush from the rockface...

          In this garden and other corners of the convent were filmed many scenes from Rossellini's masterpiece "PAISA" and other films of his...

          Leaving the convent after just a few metres, taking the opening on the same side of the road, we enter the GROTTA dell'ANNUNZIATA. In the XIV century the Congregation of farmworkers had a little hospital on the inside and a small church named after the Virgin SS. Dell'Annunziata, of which there are few remaining walls frescoed with MADONNA ANNUNZIATA WHO RECEIVES THE FISHERMAN...

          On the seafront again follow the road until it curves, now in the territory of Minori, we can admire the splendid view of the whole Maiori. On the side of the road the Torre dell'Annunziata ... practically the entrance to

MIRAMARE CASTLE
          Originally "Castello Mezzacapo", from the name of the noble family who erected in the last century, in the twenties it was adapted into a hotel.
Structured on three floors it derives its bizarre form from a whim of Marches "Mezzacapo" who wanted his castle to be similar to the castles on the Loire, and had it copied from a design on a box of matches...

          This is where our itinerary ends, further ahead is Minori, the ancient Rheginna Minor...but that is another story...

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