Arsenale Marinaro
About
Here at the Republic of Amalfi's shipyard, citizens built the vessels that maintained power over the Mediterranean back in the Middle Ages. Established in the 11th century, the shipyard was restored in the 13th century, and at its height, it could build galleys up to 40m (131 ft.) long, which were driven by both sails and oars. These were defined by their number of oars, which could number 108, 112, or 120 for the largest ships. Only half of the building remains today -- the other half, which reached into the sea, was destroyed by a series of great storms in the 14th century. However, you can still admire the building's beautiful architecture, such as its pointed arches and cross vaults resting over stone pillars. Between the Arsenale and the Porta della Marina you will find a tile panel depicting Amalfi's commercial empire in the Middle Ages; it was created by the artist Renato Rossi in the 1950s.
