Minori

The inhabited center, like most of the other Municipalities of the Amalfi Coast, develops along the valley that ends with a small beach and crossed by the Reginna Minor torrent. The houses and small buildings of the historic center are all close together and very close to the sea while the various hamlets cling to the ridges of the surrounding hills from whose terraces, mainly cultivated with lemons and vines, you can enjoy a unique panorama.

HOW TO GET TO MINORI

Minori is located a few kilometers from Amalfi. To reach the small town nicknamed "Narcissus of the Coast" for the particularity of its territory and the fertility of its land, the recommended route is the one that from Salerno moves to Vietri sul Mare and from here take the State Road 163 which allows you to travel the entire Amalfi Coast through the centers of Cetara and Maiori in order.

HISTORY

In Roman times Minori was nicknamed Rheginna Minor, to differentiate it from Rheginna Maior, today's Maiori: in fact the beauty of the places and the mildness of the climate made it a holiday resort since the times of the Roman Empire. As a demonstration, the city of Minori still preserves the well-preserved remains of a splendid Roman Maritime Villa of the 1st century AD, a rare example of a seaside villa and considered one of the most important Roman monuments on the Amalfi Coast.

After the destruction of the villa probably caused by frequent floods that hit the coast, the place was abandoned for many years. Tradition has it that around the fifth century the first inhabited nucleus of Minori was formed on the hill town called Forcella chosen as a safe place by the inhabitants of the Sarno valley, fleeing the incursions of Germanic populations.

The Minorese tradition also states that the primitive inhabited area of Forcella was subsequently abandoned when in the 7th century the remains of the Christian martyr were found on the beach below Santa Trofimena. The inhabitants, in fact, would have erected the Church in honor of the Saint and a new agglomeration along the coast. The new settlement was built by the inhabitants of Scala who, having descended to the valley, would have given rise to the maritime center, also encouraged by the fact that the neighboring Germanic populations did not build a threat on the sea since they did not know how to navigate. The new village, already at the time of its construction, took the name of Rheginna Minor.

During the Middle Ages, however, Minori was part of the territory of the Republic of Amalfi: in addition to being an important commercial port, the Republic's warships were built on its beach. The abundance of water favored the birth of mills and oil mills along the Rheginna Minor stream so that in the seventeenth century the town became famous for its handmade pasta.

Thanks to the abundance of water and the fertility of its territory, several paper mills were built in Minori: in the thirteenth century were already produced in the Minor paper mills paper rags, called Bambagina,, which was widely used in courts and religious institutes .

On the religious level, in 987 it became the seat of the Diocese and remained so until 1818. After the end of the period of the Amalfi Republic, a period of decline began due also to numerous tragedies such as the terrible plague epidemics of 1492, 1528 and 1656.

The minorese history he followed the events of the Kingdom of Naples and subsequently of united Italy. The terrible flood of 1954 profoundly marked the life and urban transformation of Minori; following the reconstruction, modern buildings were born which fortunately did not spoil the aesthetics and its characteristic aspect of a fishing village.

Today it is a small tourist center to visit.

GASTRONOMY

The numerous mills and pasta factories that were located in the seaside village along the Rheginna Minor stream have given rise to a rich pasta tradition. The specialty of characteristic pasta and still present on the tables of manyfamilies is that of the "ndunderi", huge handmade gnocchi with ricotta, parmesan and eggs, seasoned only with Corbarino tomato sauce. It is the typical dish that is mainly prepared for the feast of Santa Trofimena on July 12th. Another type of pasta, the invention of which is always attributed to the Minorese pasta makers, are "curls" or "curls". It is a type of pasta with a cylindrical shape wound in a spiral between 8 and 13 centimeters in length. The pasta is made up of durum wheat flour, water and salt. After making the dough, proceed to taper the pasta which, having reached the thickness of about half a centimeter and the length of 16-26 centimeters, is divided into sticks which must be rolled around a thin iron taking the shape of fusilli. This type of pasta is also seasoned with an excellent Corbarino tomato sauce or with very fresh fish. As for the other municipalities of the Amalfi Coast, also for Minori the typical products of the local gastronomy are based on lemon tagliolini with lemon, the risotto with zucchini and prawns with the scent of sfusato amalfitano and limoncello.

However, Minori is famous all over the world above all for its pastry products, among all the delights with lemon and the ricotta and pear cake.

WHAT TO SEE IN MINORI

There are numerous sites of historical, artistic and naturalistic interest to visit in Minori. 

Roman Villa

The Villa, built at sea level in the first years of the first century after Christ, probably it had the function of welcoming within its walls the family of a wealthy Roman during wonderful summer stays in Minori.

The lower floor of the structure, which is also the only one visible, can be visited along a staircase leading to a large porch where you can appreciate a viridarium, at the center of which there is a tank that is in axis with the large opening towards the sea and with the large nymphaeum triclinium on whose sides the whole ground floor is harmoniously developed.

On the upper floor only a few elements have been preserved, none of them on the upper floor: the suspensurae of a heated room and fragments of floor mosaics make it possible to identify rooms also on the upper floor, totally destroyed.

The arches of the villa were not bare and monochordic. Even today the ancient stones reveal the Roman colors: from the red of the half-columns to the yellow and the blue of the walls, up to the black of the plinths of the pillars where the flowerbeds were located.

During its life, the villa has undergone several renovations and alterations. In the III century there was the remaking of the triclinium with the addition of the masonry counters and the mosaic and the partial renewal of the pictorial decoration. Subsequently some of the rooms were reduced by partitions. Its extension certainly had to be much wider than is currently known. In the lower vestibule, at the foot of the west staircase, a tompagno suggests the presence of other rooms, now lost. During the works for the regimentation of the river, some structures relating to rooms that still retained their pictorial decoration came to light, at a certain distance from the current building. In the seventh century after Christ it is very likely that it had already turned into a settlement of another nature.

Later it was buried in the mud of the floods that hit Minori. Only later was it rediscovered when the inhabitants of the houses that were built on it found historical finds of the villa.

The flood of 1954 that hit Salerno and the Amalfi Coast hardly buried the complex which was only later and painstakingly brought to light, taking on the appearance at the end of the works in which we see it today.

The Basilica of Santa Trofimena

According to legend, in the seventh century the bones of the Sicilian martyr Santa Trofimena were found on the Minorese beach and immediately placed in a small temple built specifically for the find. In 987 Minori became a bishopric and the Basilica was erected for the occasion which was then demolished due to the fragility and instability of the structure and subsequently rebuilt in 1747.

The Basilica of Santa Trofimena today stands out for the elegance of its decorative lines and has an interior marked by three naves with side altars, transept, large presbytery area, closed by an apse dome; in neoclassical style, with a Latin cross, full of statues and stuccos that make it unique in its elegance refined and bright

The current Crypt of Santa Trofimena Baroque is accessed by two flights of curved stairs. It is 13.60 m long and 8.50 m wide. The remains of the Saint are preserved below the main altar in a refined marble urn. 

The facade of the Basilica turns its gaze towards the sea and has architectural and decorative elements typical of the eighteenth century. At the entrance, in an oval niche, there is the late Baroque bust of Santa Trofimena and on the two lateral minor portals there are two ovals with the bust of S. Pietro and S. Paolo. 

Only in recent times have other four niches been carved between the pilasters in which the statues of the four Evangelists have found accommodation.

The central part of the facade, narrower than the previous one, connects to the right with two volutes: it has four pilasters with Corinthian capitals that open on the sides of the central arched window.

On its entablature frame rises the last area of the facade, even narrower than the previous one which, as can be seen in other buildings of the same period, is above the roof covering.

Inside, on the main entrance at the top, there is a picture with shaped contours in which Sant'Andrea, Santa Trofimena and San Matteo, patrons of the coastal area are represented. On the sides, two recent paintings by the well-known master Carotenuto depict two episodes from the life of the patron saint: martyrdom and the discovery of the marble urn on the Minorese beach.

On the side of the Basilica you can admire the tall bell tower which dates back to the first half of the nineteenth century with a neoclassical quadrangular plan, embellished with large arched windows from which you can see the imposing bells.

·    The Convent and the Church of San Nicola

The Convent and the Church of San Nicola are located on Monte Forcella and were built in the 11th century. The Church has a single nave while the Convent has two floors. For trekking lovers, the path starts from Annunziata di Minori and leads uphill towards the Convent and the Church. The flattest path that always leads to the Convent and the Church of San Nicola is the one that starts from the Sambuco district of the Municipality of Ravello. The complex is open on May 1 and December 6, the day of San Nicola.

·    The Mezzacapo Tower

It is located in Torricella along the Strada Statale 163 Amalfitana and is on the border with the Municipality of Maiori. It was built in the viceregal era always for sighting and defensive purposes from pirates who came from the sea. It is currently private and an integral part of the "Miramare" Castle.

- la Fontana dei Leoni It is located on the short promenade and dates back to the 11th century.