Maiori (originally in

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

: ''Rheginna Maior'') is a town and ''

comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...

'' on the

Amalfi coast The Amalfi Coast ( or ) is a stretch of coastline in southern Italy overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Gulf of Salerno. It is located south of the Sorrentine Peninsula and north of the Cilentan Coast. Attracting international tourists o ...

in the

province of Salerno The province of Salerno () is a province in the Campania region of Italy. It has 1,054,766 inhabitants as of 2025. Geography The largest towns in the province are: Salerno, the capital, which has a population of 131,950; Cava de' Tirreni, Bat ...

(

Campania Campania is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy located in Southern Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian Peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea to its west), but it also includes the small Phlegraean Islan ...

, Italy). It has been a popular tourist resort since

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

times, with the longest unbroken stretch of

beach A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from Rock (geology), rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle beach, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological s ...

on the Amalfi coastline.

History

The origins of the town are unclear, though it was likely founded by the

Etruscans The Etruscan civilization ( ) was an ancient civilization created by the Etruscans, a people who inhabited Etruria in List of ancient peoples of Italy, ancient Italy, with a common language and culture, and formed a federation of city-states. Af ...

. It was conquered by the Romans in the 3rd century BC, who called the town Rheginna Maior, in contrast to the neighbouring town, Minori, Rheginna Minor. All places along the coast were formed by alternating conquerors - such as the Etruscans or the Romans. Between 830 and 840, the towns of the coast between

Lettere Lettere is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Naples in the southern central Italy, Italian region Campania, located about 30 km southeast of Naples. Lettere borders the following municipalities: Angri, Casola di Napoli, ...

and Tramonti and Cetara and

Positano Positano ( ; in Neapolitan language, Neapolitan: () is a village and ''comune'' on the Amalfi Coast (Province of Salerno), in Campania, Italy, mainly in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast. History The first evidence of a settle ...

, including the island of

Capri Capri ( , ; ) is an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. A popular resort destination since the time of the Roman Republic, its natural beauty ...

, united to form a confederation of states later known as the

Duchy of Amalfi The Duchy of Amalfi () or the Republic of Amalfi was a '' de facto'' independent state centered on the Southern Italian city of Amalfi during the 10th and 11th centuries. The city and its territory were originally part of the larger Duchy of Na ...

. Each city retained its own name and administrative autonomy, but had a specific role in this federation. Maiori was the seat of the duchy's admiralty, the customs, the salt market and several arsenals. Around 1000 it became part of the

Principality of Salerno The Principality of Salerno () was a Middle Ages, medieval Mezzogiorno, Southern Italian state, formed in 851 out of the Principality of Benevento after a decade-long civil war. It was centred on the port city of Salerno. Although it owed alle ...

, and then of the

Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples (; ; ), officially the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was established by the War of the Sicilian Vespers (1282–1302). Until ...

, of which it followed the history until the 19th century.

Main sights

*Collegiate Church of Santa Maria a Mare (13th century). It has a colourful maiolica tiled dome topping the 14th century bell tower, while most of the exterior dates from the 18th century. Other majolicas are shown in the Sacred Art Museum just next to the Church. *Church of San Francesco (finished in 1590), now in late

Rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...

style. *Santa Maria de Olearia (11th century), a Benedictine Abbey founded in 973 just above the historical centre of the town. *Falerzio Mount and Avvocata Church. The highest peak of the Amalfi Coast and the Sanctuary on the plain above Mount Mirteto. *Castle of San Nicola (9th century) *Norman Tower (also called Torre Salicerchio)

Transport

The nearest airport is Salerno-Pontecagnano Airport (QSR).

In film

In the mid-20th century,

Roberto Rossellini Roberto Gastone Zeffiro Rossellini (8 May 1906 – 3 June 1977) was an Italian film director, screenwriter and producer. He was one of the most prominent directors of the Italian neorealist cinema, contributing to the movement with films such a ...

filmed some of his films here: ''

Paisà ''Paisan'' () is a 1946 Italian neorealist war drama film directed by Roberto Rossellini. In six independent episodes, it tells of the Liberation of Italy by the Allied forces during the late stage of World War II. The film premiered at the Ve ...

'' (1946); "Il Miracolo" ("The Miracle"), the second episode of the movie '' L'Amore'' (''Ways of Love'', 1948); ''La macchina ammazzacattivi'' ('' Machine to Kill Bad People'', 1952); and ''Il viaggio in Italia'' (''

Journey to Italy ''Journey to Italy'', also known as ''Voyage to Italy'', is a 1954 drama film directed by Roberto Rossellini. Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders play Katherine and Alex Joyce, a childless English married couple on a trip to Italy whose marriage i ...

'', 1953). A film festival is held every November at which the ''Premio Internazionale Roberto Rossellini'' is awarded.

References

{{Authority control Amalfi Coast Coastal towns in Campania

History

Main sights

Transport

In film

See also

References

External links