A Luxury Villa in Amalfi Coast

BASILICA SANT’EUSTACHIO RUINS

Nel XIII secolo la Basilica era una delle più belle del Sud Italia: un panorama mozzafiato al cospetto di un trionfo di marmi, affreschi e intarsi multicolori visibili anche dal mare. Ancora oggi si può ammirare la splendida facciata della basilica, e sono presenti anche alcune parti originali.

The ruins are located in the city of Pontone, in the mountain valley above Amalfi. Sant’Eustachio was built in the second half of the twelfth century, and is an excellent example of the architectural exchanges between Italy and Sicily in the Middle Ages. The exterior apse is often compared to the stunning Cathedral of Monreale in Sicily, which was constructed at about the same time. The colorful details you might notice in my photographs on the exterior of the Sant’Eustachio are likely from the restoration work done in 2002 to stabilize the ruins. Photos prior to that show a more monochromatic facade. But don’t get me started on the topic of restoration! The ruins are a short walk from Scala or Pontone, and from there you have several options for where to continue your hike. When I see the ruins of Sant’Eustachio, perched as they are dominantly overlooking the valleys of Amalfi and Atrani, I imagine just how impressive the basilica would have been when it was built, with its colorful decorations, inlaid stonework and rows of marble columns. It must have been an imposing representation of the power and prestige of the important families that built Sant’Eustachio.

Along the stone steps between the sleepy villages of Minuta and Pontone in Scala, you’ll find something a little unexpected. Set in a commanding position on a promontory surrounded by terraces of olive and lemon trees sits the ruins of what was once one of the finest churches in the Republic of Amalfi in the Middles Ages. Following the zigzaging steps down, the remaining walls of Sant’ Eustachio keep coming into view, closer and closer, as you approach Pontone. Thanks to a locally run association, you can visit the ruins of Sant’Eustachio, which is beautiful stop on the walk from Scala down to Amalfi.

This remarkable church was constructed in the 12th century during the peak of the powerful maritime Republic of Amalfi. While Pontone is a frazione, or hamlet, of Scala today, in the Middle Ages all of Scala was part of the Duchy of Amalfi. Pontone was home to the prominent D’Afflitto family who constructed this church and dedicated it to a saint important to them, Saint Eustace, an early Christian martyr in the 2nd century AD. When you step into what was once the nave of the church, it’s hard to imagine the original splendor of this church.