Arsenal Of The Maritime Republic, Amalfi, Italy

The structure of the arsenal consists of two large stone-built halls with vaulting supported by repeated pointed arches. The vaulting rests on ten piers, originally there were twenty two, the missing twelve and the structure they supported having been lost to centuries of coastal erosion. The main function of the arsenal was the building, repair and storage of warships. Amalfitan war-galleys were among the largest to be found in the Mediterranean during the Early Middle Ages.

The building now contains architectural and sculptural remains, a row-barge used in the Historical Regatta, a number of models of ships and it also acts as a venue for visual art exhibitions. Starting from December 2010, the Ancient Arsenals of Amalfi host the Compass Museum on the premises of the two aisles of the building, which were spared by the Amalfi seaquake of 1343.

Museums in Italy

User Reviews

J Marinelli (2 years ago)
A hidden gem!! Found within the City of Amalfi’s ancient armory and museum, a free musical - with English sub titles. The musical was beautifully done!! The cast will endear themselves to you!!! You will love the leading men and women and you will hate the villain - the villain plays such a great role as the villain - that you like disliking him!!! The music and lines are easy to follow as there are monitors set up with English translations. The story follows how Amalfi came to be and the struggles the people had to overcome. The voices of the actors are really great!! The sound resonates throughout the hall of this ancient armory!!! Filled with mysterious smoke and giving you the feeling of actually watching from afar!!! Theater in the round .... where every seat has 100% visibility of the action. It’s free!!! At the end you can easily contribute a donation, buy a CD and get a picture with the cast. Love them!!

Mark Manguno (2 years ago)
There's some very interesting stuff here, but there isn't much of it. The museum and exhibits seem half-finished.

Stefano Nervo (2 years ago)
Un posto suggestivo ma non adeguatamente valorizzato. La mostra non rende giustizia né alla storia di Amalfi, né al luogo.

Antonio Carmando (2 years ago)
Una parentesi d'arte che va a completare quella cornice storica e pittoresca che è la città di Amalfi. A due passi dal terminal degli autobus, il Museo Arsenale, che un tempo era un cantiere navale, dove si fabbricavano e riparavano navi, ospita mostre di quadri e sculture di artisti locali e non. Oltre a questo c'è molto altro: di tanto in tanto si possono osservare magnifici spettacoli teatrali, per lo più musical, di ogni genere ornati dalle bellissime arcate storiche del sito (posto delle foto di questi ultimi per l'appunto).

Old Kakuli (3 years ago)
Extraordinary place to visit... with the coastline ... launching ships would have been difficult......Architecturally this is close to the Islamic style .. the pointed arches, the cross vaults and pillars... a similar building was recently revealed in Jerusalem... the Amalphitan hospital founded in 1063..

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Me in ME

Historic Site of the week

Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba

The Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba, also known as the Great Mosque of Córdoba and the Mezquita is regarded as one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture.

According to a traditional account, a small Visigoth church, the Catholic Basilica of Saint Vincent of Lérins, originally stood on the site. In 784 Abd al-Rahman I ordered construction of the Great Mosque, which was considerably expanded by later Muslim rulers. The mosque underwent numerous subsequent changes: Abd al-Rahman II ordered a new minaret, while in 961 Al-Hakam II enlarged the building and enriched the Mihrab. The last of such reforms was carried out by Almanzor in 987. It was connected to the Caliph"s palace by a raised walkway, mosques within the palaces being the tradition for previous Islamic rulers – as well as Christian Kings who built their palaces adjacent to churches. The Mezquita reached its current dimensions in 987 with the completion of the outer naves and courtyard.

In 1236, Córdoba was conquered by King Ferdinand III of Castile, and the centre of the mosque was converted into a Catholic cathedral. Alfonso X oversaw the construction of the Villaviciosa Chapel and the Royal Chapel within the mosque. The kings who followed added further Christian features, such as King Henry II rebuilding the chapel in the 14th century. The minaret of the mosque was also converted to the bell tower of the cathedral. It was adorned with Santiago de Compostela"s captured cathedral bells. Following a windstorm in 1589, the former minaret was further reinforced by encasing it within a new structure.

The most significant alteration was the building of a Renaissance cathedral nave in the middle of the expansive structure. The insertion was constructed by permission of Charles V, king of Castile and Aragon. Artisans and architects continued to add to the existing structure until the late 18th century.

Architecture

The building"s floor plan is seen to be parallel to some of the earliest mosques built from the very beginning of Islam. It had a rectangular prayer hall with aisles arranged perpendicular to the qibla, the direction towards which Muslims pray. The prayer hall was large and flat, with timber ceilings held up by arches of horseshoe-like appearance.

In planning the mosque, the architects incorporated a number of Roman columns with choice capitals. Some of the columns were already in the Gothic structure; others were sent from various regions of Iberia as presents from the governors of provinces. Ivory, jasper, porphyry, gold, silver, copper, and brass were used in the decorations. Marvellous mosaics and azulejos were designed. Later, the immense temple embodied all the styles of Morisco architecture into one composition.

The building is most notable for its arcaded hypostyle hall, with 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble, granite and porphyry. These were made from pieces of the Roman temple that had occupied the site previously, as well as other Roman buildings, such as the Mérida amphitheatre. The double arches were an innovation, permitting higher ceilings than would otherwise be possible with relatively low columns. The double arches consist of a lower horseshoe arch and an upper semi-circular arch.

Do you know an ancient castle or magnificent church near you?

Why not share it with other people interested in history? You can add your own historic sites and attractions to SpottingHistory.com.

It's absolutely free, easy, and doesn't even need registration!

Upload data

Looks like you are a history fan!

Do you know an ancient castle or hidden ruins near you?

Why not share it with other people interested in history? You can add your own historic sites and attractions to SpottingHistory. It's absolutely free, easy, and you can do it even without registration (of course you an also create an free account)!

Arsenal Of The Maritime Republic

Address

Details

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby