ENGLISH * PROCIDA
GEOLOGICALLY
SPEAKING,PROCIDA,ALONG WITH THE LITTLE ISLAND OF VIVARA FORMS PART OF THE
PHLEGREAN AREA,AS INDEED DOES ISCHIA.
ITS ANCIENT NAME WAS PROCHYTA,AND ITS HISTORY IS LINKED TO THAT OF ISCHIA,TO
WHICH IT BELONGED UNTIL THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.
IN CONTRAST TO ISCHIA,HOWEVER,WHICH WAS NEVER ENFEOFFED,PROCIDA WAS A FIEF
OF GIOVANNI DA PROCIDA,A FRIEND AND MINISTER OF FREDERICK II OF SWBIA.
THE SOMBRE CONSTRUCTION OF TUFA WHICH BOUNDS THE SIDE OF THE ISLAND FACING
THE PHLEGREAN COAST IS A FOURTEENTH CENTURY ARAGONESE CASTLE,NOW USED AS A
PRISON. ANCIENT TOWERS RISE ABOVE THE FISHERMEN'S HOUSES WHICH ARE PAINTED
IN THE TRADITIONAL COLOURS OF WHITE,PINK AND BLUE.
THE DOME WE CAN SEE BELONGS TO THE ABBEY CHURCH OF ST. MICHAEL. IF WE COULD
SEE INSIDE,WE WOULD FIND A PRECIOUS ALTAR DECORATED WITH MULTI COLOURED MARBLE
AND A BEAUTIFUL PAINTING BY LUCA GIORDANO.
ON THE OTHER HAND,FROM OUR ALTITUDE WE HAVE AN ADMIRABLE VIEW OF THE CELEBRATED
CHIAIOLELLA,WITH ITS STILL UNPOLLUTED STRETCH OF SEA,WHERE THE FISHERMEN BRING
THEIR BOATS INTO LAND,AND OF THE LITTLE ISLAND OF VIVARA,COMPLETELY UNINHABITED,PERHAPS
THE LAST CORNER OF THE EARTH TO REMAIN UNTOUCHED.
THE ATMOSPHERE OF PROCIDA HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR GREAT WRITERS.
ALPHONSE DE LAMARTINE SET HIS NOVEL * GRAZIELLA * ON THE ISLAND, AND ELSA
MORANTE ENTITLED ONE OF HER NOVELS L'ISOLA DI ARTURO ( THE ISLAND OF ARTHUR/ARCTURUS
) AFTER THE STAR SHE HAD SEEN SHINING IN THE NIGHT SKY ABOVE PROCIDA.
