Castello Arechi

This castle, located on the Bonadies Mountain, was built in the VII century on behalf of the Lombard Prince Arechi II who moved the capital of the Dukedom from Benevento to Salerno. To this day, the castle still dominates and guards over the city.

This castle was built by modifying and raising the old walls over pre-existent fortifications, dating back to the Roman and Byzantine period. Indeed, Arechi II considered the strategic position of the city that, dominating over the Tyrrheanian, presented significant access to the sea for the Princedom, from a commercial and defensive perspective.

This fortress was never conquered in battle but Gisulfo II, the last Lombard Prince of Salerno, surrendered to the Norman conquerors in 1077 after a very long siege. Subsequently, the building was enlarged and modified during the Norman, Angevin and Aragonese eras.

Nowadays, this castle offers a magnificent view over the city and the entire Gulf of Salerno. Inside it hosts an exhibition of the castle materials (mostly medieval ceramics and coins), a showroom and a conference room.

Duomo

The Cattedrale di San Matteo, founded by Robert Guiscard and consecrated by Pope Gregory VII, was dedicated to Saint Mary of the Angels and Saint Matthew the Apostle.

It was built on the ruins of a Palaeochristian church, itself erected upon the ruins of a Roman temple. After the works began the construction plans were subsequently amplified because of the finding of the spoils of Saint Matthew, the Evangelist Apostle, and underwent, throughout the centuries, several reconstructions, in particular that of the XVII century by Neapolitan architects.

The Duomo is preceded by a wide atrium surrounded by a porch supported by 28 simple columns with round arches, embellished on the sides by various Roman sarcophagus’. On the southern side rises the high bell tower dating back to the XII century, while the main entrance of the church consists of a bronze Byzantine front door.

In the central nave one can admire the famous ambos, dating back to the last decades of the XII century, decorated with sculptures and mosaics. Also in the Cappella del Tesoro one can admire various Gothic reliquaries, among which the arm of Saint Matthew and the statues of the SS. Martiri Salernitani.

The level below contains the Crypt consisting in an environment composed of various rooms with nine rows of three cross vaulted spans that lean on columns. In the XVII century the Crypt was restored by Domenico Fontana who created the double central altar of Saint Matthew where it is possible to celebrate two masses simultaneously.