Piazza Flavio Gioia

About

Arriving in Amalfi by car or boat, Piazza Flavio Gioia is the first piazza you'll encounter. In the center stands a statue of Flavio Gioia, who is believed to have invented the compass for maritime use. Whether or not the story is historically accurate is debatable, but what is certain is that sailors from Amalfi did make significant strides in the use of the magnetic compass for navigation in the Middle Ages. The statue of Flavio Gioia dates from 1892 and is the work of Alfonso Balzico, a sculptor from Cava de' Tirreni near Salerno. From the piazza you can enter the Piazza Duomo, which is the heart of the historic center of Amalfi.