Scala, Campania

Scala
Comune
Comune di Scala
Scala viewed from Ravello
Scala Location of Scala in Italy Show map of Italy Scala Scala (Campania) Show map of Campania
Coordinates: 40°39′N14°36′E / 40.650°N 14.600°E / 40.650; 14.600
Country	Italy
Region	Campania
Province	Salerno (SA)
Frazioni	San Pietro, Santa Caterina, Campidoglio, Minuta, Pontone
Government
• Mayor	Luigi Mansi
Area [1]
• Total	13.86 km2 (5.35 sq mi)
Elevation	360 m (1,180 ft)
Population  (31 December 2017) [2]
• Total	1,516
• Density	109.4/km2 (283.3/sq mi)
Demonym	Scalesi
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	84010
Dialing code	089
Patron saint	St. Lawrence
Saint day	August 10
Website	Official website
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Part of	Costiera Amalfitana
Criteria	Cultural: (ii)(iv)
Reference	830
Inscription	1997 (21st Session)
Area	11,206 ha (27,690 acres)
Buffer zone	11,857 ha (29,300 acres)

Scala is a town and comune in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. It is located on a rocky hill c. 400 m above sea-level and is part of the Amalfi Coast.^{[ citation needed ]}

History

According to an ancient and unproven tradition, it was founded by Roman shipwrecks travelling to Constantinople. In the Middle Ages Scala was, together with Ravello, the most important fortification of the Duchy of Amalfi. Its two castles (mentioned in a document of c. 1000 AD) were sacked by Robert Guiscard in 1073 and destroyed by the Pisane sixty years later. In 1210 the fate repeated with the troops of Otto IV and, in the late century, during the Sicilian Vespers. ^[3]

The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, commonly known as the Redemptorists, were founded in Scala by Saint Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori. ^[4]

Main sights

Scala is divided into six different hamlets with precise identities: from north to south, Santa Caterina, Campoleone, Campidoglio, Scala, Minuta and Pontone. Attractions include: ^[5]

• Santa Caterina: Porta Urbana, church of Santa Caterina, chapels of St. Paul and Santa Maria della Porta
• Campoleone: church of San Pietro, in Angevine-Gothic style.
• Campidoglio: church of San Giovanni Battista, with a Moresque bell tower.
• The Duomo of Scala, modified in Baroque times. It has maintained the medieval crypt, the Angevine sepulchre of Marinella Rufolo, and an episcopal mitre and a Crucifix from the 13th century. Also notable is the Bishops' Palace.
• Minuta: Romanesque church of Annunziata
• Pontone: church of San Giovanni Battista and the remains of the basilica of Sant'Eustachio.

Chestnuts

The town is known for its cultivation of chestnuts. Every year, at the end of November, for two consecutive weekends, a Sagra delle Castagne (a chestnut festival) is held in the main square. ^[6]

See also

• Amalfi Coast
• Sorrentine Peninsula

References

1. "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
2. "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
3. "Scala: A Quiet Escape on the Amalfi Coast". Charming. 2013-11-27. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
4. Our History, Redemptorists International.
5. "The six hamlets of Scala - Amalfi Coast". www.discoverscala.com. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
6. Dumlao, Rowena (2024-10-30). "Discover the Chestnuts of Campania: A Tradition of Quality and Flavor". The Chosen Table. Retrieved 2025-08-07.

External links

• Official website