Amalfi Cathedral

The first church, now the Diocesan Museum of Amalfi, was built in the 9th century on the ruins of a previous temple. A second church was built to the south in 10th century, and this is now the cathedral. By the 12th century the two churches formed a single 6 aisle Romanesque church, which was reduced to 5 in the 13th century to allow the construction of the Paradise Cloister, in the Arab-Norman style. The remains of St. Andrew were reportedly brought to Amalfi from Constantinople in 1206 during the Fourth Crusade The bell tower was constructed between the 12th and 13th centuries in front of the first church, topped by an elaborate crown decorated with marble and majolica in the Arab-Norman style, also seen in other churches in southern Italy in this period. The chapels inside are variously Gothic and Renaissance, with the nave decorated in the Baroque style in the 18th century. In 1861, part of the facade collapsed, damaging the atrium. The whole front of the church was then rebuilt to a design by architect Errico Alvino in a richly decorated manner drawing on Italian Gothic and especially Arab-Norman styles, similar to but more ornate that the original, completed in 1891. ==Architecture and fittings==

Exterior showing the facade in 1835 The front facade was rebuilt in the late 19th century in striped marble and stone, with a tall pediment decorated with mosaics, and a deep porch with windows of delicate Arab-Moorish tracery similar to, but more ornate than, the original. The tympanum's mosaics portray "The triumph of Christ" in a work created by Domenico Morelli and whose original designs are retained in the Town Hall. Cast in Constantinople before 1066, and signed by Simeon of Syria, the cathedral's bronze doors are the earliest in Italy of post-Roman manufacture. The high altar in the central nave is formed from the sarcophagus of the Peter of Capua (died 1214). Above the altar is a painting by Andrea dell'Asta of The Martyrdom of St. Andrew. The boxed ceiling dates to 1702 and its artwork includes the Flagellation, the Crucifixion of the Apostle, and the Dell'Asta's 1710 Miracle of the Manna. The triumphal arch is held up by two Egyptian granite columns. There are two additional twisted columns and two pulpits that were part of the 12th century ambo. One of the pillars boasts a hidden column as an example of the ancient Romanesque structure. ==Gallery==

File:Amalfi Duomo 3.JPG|The bell tower of the cathedral File:Amalfi Cathedral Mosaic.jpg|Amalfi Cathedral mosaic File:Amalfi BW 2013-05-15 10-31-26 DxO.jpg|Bronze portal of the cathedral File:Affresco Madonna Cattedrale Amalfi.jpg|Fresco of Madonna ca. 14th century AD File:Madonna lignea con Bambino Cattedrale Amalfi.jpg|Madonna with Child ca. 15th century AD File:Giacinto Gigante Marktszene in Amalfi 1845.jpg|Painting of 1845 by Giacinto Gigante ==References==