Praiano
Encyclopedia
Praiano is a town and comune
of the province of Salerno
in the Campania
region of southwest Italy
. It is situated on the Amalfi Coast
(Costiera Amalfitana), a prime tourist location for the region and Italy alike, between the towns of Amalfi
and Positano
.
In 1997, the Amalfi Coast, including Praiano's "Vettica Maggiore" frazione
was inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site
. As of December 1, 2009, the town's population constitutes 2,069 inhabitants.
word pelagium, meaning "open sea." During the 10th-11th centuries, Praiano was once the summer residence of the doge
s of the Duchy of Amalfi
.
During the Angevin
period, a fortified tower, the Assiola, was constructed to defend the town. Praiano had an important local silk
industry, however, it disappeared during the 19th century. With the discovery of corals in the vicinity around the 1800s, Praiano's economy was revitalized, mainly focusing on the fishing and tourism industries ever since.
, the Green Grotto, as the name would suggest, features a green light reflection inside the grotto pool.
Another popular attraction is the Church of San Luca Evangelico, dating back to 1123. One of the town's two patron saint
s, San Luca
is buried here. On the inside, there are paintings by Renaissance
painter Giovanni Bernardo Lama
dating to the 16th century. The church's rectory
, built in 1552, features a local museum. Another attraction is the Church of San Giovanni Battista
, featuring a well-preserved maiolica
tiled floor, dating back to the 12th-13th centuries.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of the province of Salerno
Province of Salerno
The Province of Salerno is a province in the Campania region of Italy.-Geography:The largest towns in the province are: Salerno, the capital, which has a population of 139,579; Cava de' Tirreni with a population of 53,488; Battipaglia with a population of 51,115; and Nocera Inferiore which has a...
in the Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
region of southwest Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is situated on the Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast
-In popular culture:The Amalfi Coast is a popular destination among tourists. It was featured in "Positano," a short story written by American author John Steinbeck in 1953...
(Costiera Amalfitana), a prime tourist location for the region and Italy alike, between the towns of Amalfi
Amalfi
Amalfi is a town and comune in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno, c. 35 km southeast of Naples. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto , surrounded by dramatic cliffs and coastal scenery...
and Positano
Positano
Positano is a village and comune on the Amalfi Coast , in Campania, Italy. The main part of the city sits in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast.-History:...
.
In 1997, the Amalfi Coast, including Praiano's "Vettica Maggiore" frazione
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
was inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. As of December 1, 2009, the town's population constitutes 2,069 inhabitants.
History
The town's name derives from the praia, or beach, from the LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
word pelagium, meaning "open sea." During the 10th-11th centuries, Praiano was once the summer residence of the doge
Doge
Doge is a dialectal Italian word that descends from the Latin dux , meaning "leader", especially in a military context. The wife of a Doge is styled a Dogaressa....
s of the Duchy of Amalfi
Duchy of Amalfi
The Duchy of Amalfi or the Republic of Amalfi was a de facto independent state centred on the Southern Italian city of Amalfi during the 10th and 11th centuries. The city and its territory were originally part of the larger ducatus Neapolitanus, governed by a patrician, but it extracted itself...
.
During the Angevin
Capetian House of Anjou
The Capetian House of Anjou, also known as the House of Anjou-Sicily and House of Anjou-Naples, was a royal house and cadet branch of the direct House of Capet. Founded by Charles I of Sicily, a son of Louis VIII of France, the Capetian king first ruled the Kingdom of Sicily during the 13th century...
period, a fortified tower, the Assiola, was constructed to defend the town. Praiano had an important local silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
industry, however, it disappeared during the 19th century. With the discovery of corals in the vicinity around the 1800s, Praiano's economy was revitalized, mainly focusing on the fishing and tourism industries ever since.
Attractions
One of the popular attractions of the town is the Green Grotto, or the "Grotto Esmerelda." Although not nearly as famous as the Blue Grotto of the island of CapriCapri
Capri is an Italian island in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrentine Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples, in the Campania region of Southern Italy...
, the Green Grotto, as the name would suggest, features a green light reflection inside the grotto pool.
Another popular attraction is the Church of San Luca Evangelico, dating back to 1123. One of the town's two patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
s, San Luca
San Luca
San Luca is a comune in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about 100 km southwest of Catanzaro and about 35 km east of Reggio Calabria. The town is situated on the eastern slopes of the Aspromonte mountain, in the valley of the Bonamico river...
is buried here. On the inside, there are paintings by Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
painter Giovanni Bernardo Lama
Giovanni Bernardo Lama
Giovanni Bernardo Lama was an Italian painter of the Renaissance period, active mainly in Naples. He was the son of a generally unknown artist, Matteo Lama. He was the apprentice of Giovanni Antonio D’Amato, then Polidoro da Caravaggio who had fled Rome after the Sack of 1527. He worked in the...
dating to the 16th century. The church's rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
, built in 1552, features a local museum. Another attraction is the Church of San Giovanni Battista
San Giovanni Battista, Praiano
The Church of San Giovanni Battista is a church located in the center of Praiano, a small comune located on the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy. Constructed in the Romanesque style, San Giovanni Battista has a rectangular plan and a vaulted ceiling, featuring Italian Baroque design elements on the...
, featuring a well-preserved maiolica
Maiolica
Maiolica is Italian tin-glazed pottery dating from the Renaissance. It is decorated in bright colours on a white background, frequently depicting historical and legendary scenes.-Name:...
tiled floor, dating back to the 12th-13th centuries.