Now I’m sure you’ve all heard of the Amalfi coast,
probably by means of a tourist guide book.
One of my favorite locations along this Mediterranean coast is the
peaceful yet exquisite town of Vietri sul Mare, literally meaning “glass on the
sea.” Located here are many small shops build in or along the rocky hillsides. These
shops contain famous polychrome
ceramic handicrafts, whose first records date back to the XV
century. My mother and I loved collecting these handmade pieces, and over the
years they lined our countertops and shelves. Unfortunately, most tourists
never really appreciate the rich history this locations holds; the concept of
showing off their foreign ceramics back home holds more importance.
Call me old fashioned, but I love to just sightsee.
Trust me when I say it is a work out
touring Vietri sul Mare. Like many Italian cities, the buildings date back
hundreds of years, and still stand to this day. The town has Etruscan origins
and played the important role of outpost for centuries on the sea for
commercial traffics with the hinterland. Occupied by the Romans, we find numerous
archaeological artifacts that lie in the
village of Marina. Of these remains, the Church of St. John the Baptist,
built in the XVII century in late Renaissance style, stands on the top of the
town. It is built of a single nave and topped with the very popular dome
covered roof. All along the sides are remains of majolica tiles. Outside stands
a tall bell tower. Inside the church, there stands a fine marble altar of the
XVII century, a coffered ceiling in gold, a statue of the Saint in alabaster, and
a crucifix painted on wood of the XI century. It’s not uncommon for there to be
ancient churches in Italy. However, this one stood out to me, showing off the
skill and craft of the people in its designs. It’s almost sad to see this place
becoming a sort of mall, laden with overpriced crafts, while masterpieces like this
church are overlooked.
sources:
I find it very disheartening that many historic places are becoming more materialistic in nature. This happens in the US as well. I have went to Washington DC many times in my life, and each times it becomes more and more touristic. Now there are little gift shops all over the place. It is now getting harder to appreciate the sheer beauty of the place because it is so overrun with shopping attractions. This is happening all over the place, and it is so sad.
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