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The territory

The structure is located in the municipality of Ravello at about 365 meters above sea level along the Amalfi Coast between Minori and Amalfi. Its millenary history dates back to the Roman age, in the 5th century reaches its peak on 1 September 839 with the birth of the Maritime Republic of Amalfi and its Duchy. In the alternation of historical events in the Norman period (1073-1131), in the Swabian era (1194-1266) and in the Angevin era (1266-1398) the prestigious families of Ravello experienced moments of magnificence and economic crisis linked to the succession of power of the various sovereigns, to the local wars and finally to the enfeoffment of 1398. In 1583, after the Sanseverinos, the Piccolominis from Siena took office, many noble families moved to Rome and the others who chose to stay in Ravello redeemed it from the feudal domain by paying possession of it to the last descendant Maria D’ Avalos. After the French decade, with the reduction of religious sites and the suppression of some ancient monastic circles, Ravello experienced its period of splendor with the Bourbons and the construction of the road from Vietri to Amalfi, which made it famous among European travelers and all over the world.

Il Pendolo is the name of the canal that carries water from the spring in Sambuco to the terraces of the area.

The building is a short distance from the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie documented since 1163 and originally dedicated to S. Matteo del Pendolo, from the church of Santissima Annunziata from 1277, from the splendid Villa Rufolo documented since the 11th century and from the Cathedral of Ravello, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta and dating back to 1086.

The traces of the ancient wall of the city of Ravello dating back to 1286 and thanks to which it managed to defend itself over the centuries from the various attacks suffered by the hilly town, are visible downstream from the Villa Rufolo and the Church of the Annunziata. In this stretch there are a couple of buildings halfway between the Annunziata and the Church of the Madonna delle Grazie, where there must have been one of the city gates. From this point, the ancient wall still survives in a typical  “macera”(wall made of dry stones) made for retaining  the cultivated terraces,  upstream of which stood the church of S. Andrea del Pendolo; here the wall is characterized by the presence, at intervals of approximately 30 m, of structural elements, identifiable by towers having a simple plan (under the brambles there are structures with sash window  compartments ) . The certainty that this is still the wall that comes from the first tower identified is given by the characteristics of the building material, the identical stone and the identical color of the mortar.

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