ENGLISH * ATRANI
HERE
IS ATRANI, AT ONE END OF THE VALLE DEL DRAGONE, ONE OF THE MOST PICTURESQUE
SMALL TOWNS ON THE AMALFI COAST.
THE MAJOLICA TILED DOME OF THE COLLEGIAL CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA MADDALENA STANDS
OUT ABOVE THE WHITE HOUSES. THIS CHURCH WAS FIRST BUILT AT THE END OF THE
THIRTEENTH CENTURY, BUT RECONSTRUCTED IN THE BAROQUE STYLE, AS IS EVIDENT
FROM THE FACADE. THE GRACEFUL SQUARE BELLTOWER BELONGED TO THE ORIGINAL CHURCH.
THE INTERIOR HOUSES AN INTERESTING PAINTING BY ANDREA DA SALERNO, WHO LIVED
BETWEEN THE FIFTEETH AND SIXTEENTH CENTURIES.
THE BELLTOWER CONSISTING OF A SINGLE WALL WHICH WE CAN SEE NOW RISING ABOVE
THE TWO ARCHES OF THE FACADE BELONGS TO THE CHURCH OF SAN SALVATORE DEL BIRETO,
SO CALLED BECAUSE THE AMALFI DOGES RECEIVED THE BIRETTA THERE IN THE DAUS
OF THE MARITIME REPUBLIC.
ITS CONSTRUCTION DATES BACK TO THE TENTH CENTURY, AND THE BEAUTIFUL CARVED
DOORWAY DATES FROM THE FOLLOWING CENTURY.
INSIDE THERE IS AN INTERESTING SCREEN WITH FRIEZES DEPICTING TWO PEACOCKS
FACING EACH OTHER.
