Ravello

( Originally Published 1909 )

THE natural position of Ravello, or, as it is called in ancient documents, Rebellum, must at all times have attracted the attention of the various peoples who in successive ages settled on the shores of the Bay of Salerno. The limestone rock on which it stands is a spur of Monte Cerreto, descending steeply on one side into the valley of the Dragone, and on the other into that of Minori, and ending abruptly in the precipice of Cenfrone. At an elevation of 1100 ft. above the sea, it commands an unbroken view of the wide gulf, only bounded by the distant plain of Pæstum, and the Lucanian coast to Cape Licosa, while behind these rise the ridges " of purple Apennine."

Towards the east, the view includes the jagged peaks of Monte Finestra, and the cliffs of Capo d' Orso, with the white houses of Minori and Majori at the entrance of their respective valleys, each with a small marina that breaks the otherwise inhospitable coast-line.

On the north and west the heights of Monte S. Angelo a Tre Pizzi, and of the ridge that forms the watershed of the Sorrentine peninsula, slope precipitously down to the sea in every variety of form, crowned by the ruins of mediaeval castles almost buried in chestnut woods.

This beautiful country was prior to 1113 frequently devastated by Saracenic invaders ; but at that date the Amalfitan fleet gained a decisive victory over these enemies near the coast of Lucania.

The picturesque towers rising at intervals from the rocks were built by Don Pedro de Toledo, Viceroy under Charles V. 1532-54, in order to repel the incursions of Barbary pirates.

At that time the celebrated corsair Barbarossa was the terror of the Mediterranean. Having seized the throne of Algiers, by an act of treachery to the king whom he had undertaken to aid in a war with Spain, he ravaged the Spanish possessions on his own account until an expedition despatched against him by Charles V. resulted in his capture and death. On June 27, 1554, he sailed his fleet into the Bay of Salerno, and the terrified inhabitants fled to the mountains ; but a storm obliged the pirates to retreat with great loss.

Many remains of Roman occupation have been found in the neighbourhood but no authentic information anterior to the ninth century exists with regard to Ravello.

The history of Ravello, as part of the territory of Amalfi, is closely connected with that of the ancient Republic, although its independent ecclesiastical foundation, and the continued feuds with the neighbouring town of Scala, indicate a degree of independence which probably increased amid the conflicts of opposing families, and after the destruction of Amalfi as a maritime power. Any light that has been obtained as to its history, apart from Amalfi, has mostly been with reference to some of the great and noble families, the remains of whose palaces are still to be seen in number disproportionate to the general population of the place. These nobles were merchant princes who equipped trading vessels, founded commercial colonies, sold their own wares, lent money to the princes under whose banners they fought, filled high positions in Church and State, built for themselves sumptuous palaces, and gave donations to the church which still call forth our admiration. Those who have left most impression on Ravello are the Rufolo, d' Afflitto, Confalone, and della Marra families, all of whom had palaces within the city walls.

As part of the Amalfitan Republic Ravello probably shared the commercial privileges of the mother city. The Maritime Code known as the Tavole Amalfitane regulated nautical affairs and the commerce of the Mediterranean. Archbishop William of Tyre says the traders of the Republic were well known in Egypt and the East, where also they had privileges accorded them by the Crusaders, who established principalities in the Holy Land, while from Constantinople the Bishops of Ravello received an annual income of 6000 ducats from lands bequeathed to the see by Ravellese who owned property in that city. In Melfi, Taranto, Naples, and other towns they occupied quarters where the streets continued long after to bear their name, and in the archives of Naples are agreements relating to shops situated in Barletta and Trani, in Rua Ravellensium. Ugo Falcone relates that in their quarter of Palermo " were to be seen garments of different prices and ` colours, silks and rich foreign merchandise."

There they founded their own churches, and though living under foreign rulers, retained their own rights and customs, and were permitted to have litigation among themselves settled by their own consuls.

Intercourse with their commercial settlements at Foggia, Trani, and Barletta had its effect upon the art patronised by the Ravellese at home ; and, as we have seen, the pulpit of the Cathedral was constructed by Nicola of Foggia, and the bronze doors by Barisano of Trani ; but local artists existed, for in 1279 Charles of Anjou sent for Angelo de Vito, of Ravello, to direct his coinage at the Naples mint.

Like most mediaeval towns, Ravello was protected, or at times dominated, by its castle ; and on Monte Brusaro, now called Monte Castello, the remains of the Castle of Fratta are sufficient to testify to its former strength and extent, although only the water cisterns with portions of a tower and bastions still exist.

The houses at the entrance of the narrow street leading to the foot of il Monte have been built into the towers that flanked the city gate, and in various places the line of fortification rebuilt in 1286 by Charles of Anjou can be traced in the opposite direction up to the nunnery of Santa Chiara, while beyond that convent and reached by a narrow neck of land is Cenfrone or Cembrone, on the precipitous rock which forms the end of the plateau, and from which a magnificent view is obtained. Forming a natural fortress, Cenfrone stood outside the city walls, and down to the beginning of the nineteenth century remained the property of the Fusco family, who held important privileges under the Angevine monarchs.

The name Rebellum appears in ancient writings, with the important exception of Papal Bulls, but the origin of this appellation is unknown. Tradition indeed asserts that the Ravellese were called Rebelli, or rebels, by the other towns of the Amalfitan territory because they refused to acknowledge a certain Doge elected by the Amalfitans in defiance of their Duke Robert Guiscard during his absence on the expedition which he undertook against the Eastern Emperor Alexander Comnenus in the year 1081.

In the year 1200 a member of the Rufolo family bore the name of Eabello.

The city possessed a great reputation for the dyeing of stuffs, and the citizens established depots for their wares in Bari, Trani, Palermo, and other towns. In 1294 they obtained from Charles II. a monopoly of this trade, which under Queen Joanna II. was confirmed, in con-sequence of an attempt of a branch of the d' Afflitto family, settled on the opposite side of the Dragone valley, to establish a dyeing factory at Scala.

The ravages of the plague (A.D. 1656) probably caused the final decay of this trade, for in 1750 Bishop Chiavelli, with the idea of reviving the ancient industry, purchased the necessary appliances, but discovered that all knowledge of the art was lost.

In a letter of Bernardus to the Emperor Lothaire contained in the " Italia Sacra" of Ughelli no mention is made of Ravello, although the towns of Minori and Atrani are referred to.

Ravello suffered severely in the conflict between the Republics of Pisa and Amalfi, for in 1130 the Lord High Admiral George of Antioch besieged the town, and having succeeded in making a breach in the walls, compelled the inhabitants to sue for peace. This was of short duration, for in 1135 the Pisans took possession of Ravello with the exception of the Castle, where the garrison held out until relieved by the Normans, when the Pisans were repulsed with great loss.

Two years later, however, they returned with reinforcements, obliged the Castle to capitulate, and to avenge themselves for their previous defeat they burned the place and carried off the inhabitants. In the fourteenth century the Castle was partially restored and named " Terra nova."

The pass from the Valley of Tramonti was guarded by another fortress, called " Torre di sopra monte."

The narrow street from the city gate before referred to leads to the Piazza, where two roads diverge, one passing along the edge of the hill, through an arch of the old walls, past Santa Maria di Gradillo to the Vescovado or Cathedral Piazza; the other, ascending to the Toro, or Piazza in front of San Giovanni del Toro, passes by the d' Afflitto and Confalone palaces to the former residence of the Bishop, near which it descends to the Cathedral.

In the centre of the Piazza is a curious fountain, on the rim of which stand a lion and a winged bull. Nothing remains of the neighbouring chapel dedicated to Sant' Agostino except its columns with their sculptured capitals, but behind it a terrace commands a good view of the Minori valley. From the opposite side of the Piazza, we look down into the Dragone valley, up which winds the new carriage road to Ravello, while beyond the stream rises the hill on which stand Scala and several dependent villages, and on a projecting rock at the head of the valley are the tower and ruined arches of Santa Maria, once the scene of the investiture of the "Captain of the Duchy" and the sedile of the nobles.

Following the lower road from the Piazza to the Cathedral, we look down on the ruins of the Hospital founded by members of the Frezza family for the reception of poor or sick pilgrims without the city walls, to be served by the order of Flagellants. It was suppressed in 1643 by order of Bishop Bernardus Panicola. Formerly a picturesque ruin, the cupola has now been demolished, and, beyond the bare walls, nothing remains but the chapel under the roadway, much injured by water percolating through the rock, but still containing a painting on panel of the Virgin and Child, a pulpit hewn out of the rock, and some columns.