| Capri | |
|---|---|
 View of Capri from the sea |
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| Geography | |
 |
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| Location | Tyrrhenian Sea |
| Area | 10. The Tyrrhenian Sea (Mar Tirreno is part of the Mediterranean Sea off of the western coast of Italy. 4 km² |
| Highest point | Monte Solaro 589 m |
| Administration | |
 Italy |
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| Region | Campania |
| Province | Naples |
| Largest city | Capri (7,278) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 12200 (as of 2002) |
| Density | 1170/km² |
Capri (Italian pronunciation Cápri, usual English pronunciation Caprí) is an Italian island off the Sorrentine Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Sorrentine Peninsula is a Peninsula located in southern Italy that separates the Gulf of Naples to the north from the Gulf of Salerno The Gulf of Naples is located in the south western coast of Italy ( Province of Naples, Campania region It has been a resort since the time of the Roman Republic. The Roman Republic was the phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by a Republican form of government a period which began with the overthrow of the
Features of the island are the Marina Piccola (Small Harbor), the Belvedere of Tragara, which is a high panoramic promenade lined with villas, the limestone masses called Sea Stacks that stand out of the sea (the Faraglioni), Anacapri, the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra), and the ruins of the Imperial Roman villas. The Blue Grotto ( Grotta Azzurra) is a noted Sea cave on the coast of the island of Capri, Italy. The Blue Grotto ( Grotta Azzurra) is a noted Sea cave on the coast of the island of Capri, Italy.
Capri is in the region of Campania, Province of Naples. Campania is a region of Southern Italy in Europe. The region has a population of around 5 The Province of Naples ( Italian: Provincia di Napoli, Nnapulitano: Pruvincia 'e Nàpule) is a province in the Campania The City of Capri is the main centre of population on Capri. Capri is a municipality of Campania, Italy, in the Province of Naples, situated on the island of Capri. It has two adjoining harbours, Marina Piccola and Marina Grande (the main port of the island). The separate commune of Anacapri is located high on the hills to the west. Anacapri is a Community on the island of Capri, in the Province of Naples, Italy.
The etymology of the name Capri can be traced back to the Greeks, the first recorded colonists to populate the island. This means that "Capri" was probably not derived from the Latin "Capreae" (goats), but rather the Greek "Kapros" (wild boar).
Contents |
History
- See also; History of Capri
Ancient and Roman times
According to the Greek geographer Strabo, Capri was once part of the mainland. The Island of Capri is situated in the Gulf of Naples, between Italian Peninsula and the islands of Procida and Ischia. Strabo ( Greek: Στράβων 63/64 BC – ca AD 24 was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher. This has been confirmed by geological surveys and archaeological findings.
The city has been inhabited since very early times. Evidence of human settlement was discovered during the Roman era; according to Suetonius, when the foundations for the villa of Augustus were being excavated, giant bones and 'weapons of stone' were discovered. Augustus ( Latin: IMPERATOR·CAESAR·DIVI·FILIVS·AVGVSTVS September 23 63 BC – August 19 AD 14) born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was The emperor ordered these to be displayed in the garden of his main residence, the Sea Palace. Modern excavations have shown that human presence on the island can be dated back to the Neolithic and the Bronze Age. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for
In his Aeneid, Virgil states that the island had been populated by the Greek people of Teleboi, coming from the Ionian Islands. Publius Vergilius Maro ( October 15, 70 BCE &ndash September 21, 19 BCE later called Virgilius, and known in English as Virgil or This article is about the group of islands west of Greece For the ancient region in western Anatolia see Ionia. Strabo says that "in ancient times in Capri there were two towns, later reduced to one. " (Geography, 5, 4, 9, 38). The Geographica ( Ancient Greek: Γεωγραφικά Geōgraphiká) or Geography, is a 17-volume encyclopedia of geographical knowledge written Tacitus records that there were twelve Imperial villas in Capri (or Capreae, as it was spelled in Latin). Publius (or Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus (ca 56 &ndash ca 117 was a senator and a Historian of the Roman Empire. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Ruins of one at Tragara could still be seen in the 19th century.
Augustus's successor Tiberius built a series of villas at Capri, the most famous of which is the Villa Jovis, one of the best preserved Roman villas in Italy. Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (or Tiberius I) born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16 42 BC – March 16 AD 37) was the second Roman Villa Jovis ("Villa of Jupiter " also Villa Iovis, sometimes misspelled Villa Ionis) is a Roman palace on Capri In 27 CE, Tiberius permanently moved to Capri, running the Empire from there until his death in 37 CE. Year 27 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Year 37 was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. According to Suetonius, while staying on the island, Tiberius (accompanied by his grand-nephew and heir, Caligula) enjoyed imposing numerous cruelties and sexual perversions upon his slaves. Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31 AD 12 &ndash January 24 AD 41 more commonly known by his nickname Caligula (kəˈlɪɡjʊlə was a Roman Emperor
In 182 CE, Emperor Commodus banished his sister Lucilla to Capri. Events By place Roman Empire Commodus exiles his sister Lucilla to Capreae. Lucius Aurelius Commodus Antoninus ( August 31, 161 – December 31, 192) was a Roman Emperor who ruled from 180 to 192 (also with Annia Aurelia Galeria Lucilla ( March 7, 148 or 150-182 was the second Daughter and third Child of Roman Emperor She was executed shortly afterwards.
Middle and Modern Ages
After the end of the Western Roman Empire, Capri returned to the status of a dominion of Naples, and suffered various attacks and ravages by pirates. In 866 Emperor Louis II gave the island to Amalfi. Events By Place Asia Fujiwara no Yoshifusa becomes regent of Japan, starting the Fujiwara regentship Louis II the Younger (825 &ndash 12 August 875) was the King of Italy from 844 and then Emperor from 855 until his death Amalfi is also a town in the Antioquia Departament in Colombia. In 987 the first Caprese bishop was consecrated by Pope John XV. Events By Place Europe Hugh Capet, Count of Paris, is crowned King of France. Pope John (numbering John XV (born in Rome) Pope from 985 to 996 succeeding Boniface VII (974 984&ndash985 (said to have been Pope for four months
In 1496, Frederick IV of Naples established legal and administrative parity between the two settlements of Capri and Anacapri. Frederick IV ( April 19, 1452 &ndash November 9, 1504) sometimes known as Frederick I or Federico d'Aragona, was the last The pirate raids reached their peak during the reign of Charles V: the famous Turkish admirals Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha and Turgut Reis sacked the island in 1535 and 1553, respectively. Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha ( Turkish: Barbaros Hayreddin Paşa or Hızır Hayreddin Paşa; also Hızır Reis before being promoted to the Turgut Reis ( 1485 - June 23, 1565) was a Turkish Privateer and Ottoman Admiral as well as Bey of
The first famous visitor to the island was the French antiques dealer Jean Jacques Bouchard in the 17th century, who may be considered Capri's first tourist. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel His diary, found in 1850, is an important information source about Capri.
Recent history
In January 1806, French troops occupied the island. The British ousted the French troops that May; Capri was turned into a powerful naval base (a "Second Gibraltar"), but the building program caused heavy damage to the archaeological sites. Gibraltar (dʒɨˈbrɒltər is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar Joachim Murat reconquered Capri in 1808, and the French remained there until the end of the Napoleonic era (1815), when Capri was returned to the Bourbon ruling house of Naples. Joachim-Napoléon Murat (born Joachim Murat) ( Gioacchino Napoleone Murat) ( March 25 1767 &ndash October 13 1815)
In the latter half of the 19th century, Capri became a popular resort for European artists, writers and other celebrities. John Singer Sargent and Frank Hyde are among the prominent artists who stayed on the island around the late 1870s. John Singer Sargent (January 12 1856 &ndash April 14 1925 was the most successful portrait painter of his era During his career he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than Frank Hyde MBE ( 7 February 1916 &ndash September 24, 2007) was an Australian Rugby league player coach Sargent is best known for his series of portraits featuring the beautiful local model, Rosina Ferrara. Rosina Ferrara (1861&ndash1934 was an Italian girl from the island of Capri, who became the favorite Muse of American Expatriate artist John Singer
Also in the 19th century, the natural scientist Ignazio Cerio catalogued the flora and fauna of the island. Ignazio Cerio (1841-1921 was an influential but eccentric physician and amateur philosopher on the island of Capri, in Italy. In Botany, flora ( Plural: floras or florae has two meanings The first meaning flora of an area or of time period, refers to all Fauna is all of the Animal life of any particular region or time This work was continued by his son, the author and engineer Edwin Cerio, who wrote several books on life in Capri in the 20th century. Edwin Cerio (1875-1960 was a prominent Italian writer engineer architect historian and botanist
Norman Douglas, Friedrich Alfred Krupp, Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen, Christian Wilhelm Allers, Emil von Behring, Curzio Malaparte, Axel Munthe, and Maxim Gorky are all reported to have owned a villa there, or to have stayed there for more than three months. For the New Zealand politician see Norman Douglas (New Zealand George Norman Douglas ( December 8 1868 - February The Krupp family, a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their Steel production and for their manufacture of Baron Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen ( February 20, 1880 &ndash November 5, 1923) was a French aristocrat a Novelist and Christian Wilhelm Allers ( August 6 1857 &ndash October 19 1915) was a German painter and Printmaker. Emil Adolf von Behring ( March 15, 1854 &ndash March 31, 1917) was a German Physiologist who received the 1901 Curzio Malaparte ( June 9, 1898 - July 19, 1957) born Kurt Erich Suckert, was an Italian journalist dramatist short-story Axel Martin Fredrik Munthe ( October 31, 1857, Oskarshamn, Sweden - February 11, 1949, Stockholm) was a Aleksey Maksimovich Peshkov ( In Алексе́й Макси́мович Пешко́в ( &ndash June 18, 1936) better known as Maxim Gorky (Максим Swedish Queen Victoria often stayed there. Birth Princess Viktoria was born on August 7, 1862 at the castle in Karlsruhe, Germany. Rose O'Neill, the American illustrator and creator of the Kewpie, owned the Villa Narcissus,formerly owned by the famous Beaux Art painter Charles Caryl Coleman. Gracie Fields also had a villa on the island, though her 1934 song "The Isle of Capri" was written by two Englishmen. Dame Gracie Fields, DBE ( January 9 1898 &ndash September 27 1979) born Grace Stansfield, was an English / Mariah Carey owns a villa on the island.
The book that spawned the 19th century fascination with Capri in France, Germany, and England was Entdeckung der Blauen Grotte auf der Insel Capri, 'Discovery of the Blue Grotto on the Isle of Capri', by the German painter and writer August Kopisch, in which he describes his 1826 stay on Capri and his (re)discovery of the Blue Grotto. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. August Kopisch ( May 26, 1799 &ndash February 6, 1853) was a German Poet and painter. For the game see 1826 (board game. Year 1826 ( MDCCCXXVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display Capri is also the setting for "The Lotus Eater", a short-story by Somerset Maugham. The Lotus Eater is a Short story written by Somerset Maugham in 1945 William Somerset Maugham, CH ( January 25 1874 &ndash December 16 1965) was an English Playwright, In the story, the protagonist from Boston comes to Capri on a holiday and is so enchanted by the place he gives up his job and decides to spend the rest of his life in leisure at Capri. Claude Debussy refers to the island's hills in the title of his impressionistic prélude Les collines d'Anacapri (1910). Achille-Claude Debussy (aʃil klod dəbysi (August 22 1862 &ndash March 25 1918 was a French Composer. Claude Debussy 's Préludes are two sets of pieces for solo Piano.
As well as being a haven for writers and artists, Capri served as a relatively safe place for foreign gay men and lesbians to lead a more open life, and a small nucleus of them were attracted to live there, overlapping to some extent with the creative types mentioned above. The 19th century poet August Graf von Platen was one of the first. Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen wrote the roman à clef Et le feu s’èteignit sur le mer (1910) about Capri and its residents in the early 20th century, causing a minor scandal. Baron Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen ( February 20, 1880 &ndash November 5, 1923) was a French aristocrat a Novelist and A roman à clef or roman à clé (French for "novel with a key" is a Novel describing real life behind a façade of Fiction Fersen's life on Capri became the subject of Roger Peyrefitte's fictionalised biography, L'Exile de Capri. Roger Peyrefitte ( August 17, 1907 &ndash November 5, 2000) was a French Diplomat, Writer of Bestseller One of the island's most famous foreign inhabitants was Norman Douglas; his novel South Wind is a thinly fictionalised description of Capri's residents and visitors, and a number of his other works, both books and pamphlets, deal with the island, including Capri (1930) and his last work, A Footnote on Capri (1952). For the New Zealand politician see Norman Douglas (New Zealand George Norman Douglas ( December 8 1868 - February South Wind may refer to The South wind, a wind that originates in the south and blows north A satirical presentation of the island's lesbian colony in the 1920s is made in Compton Mackenzie's novel Extraordinary Women (1928). Sir Edward Montague Compton Mackenzie ( January 17, 1883, West Hartlepool, England – November 30, 1972 in Edinburgh
Memoirs set on Capri include Edwin Cerio's Aria di Capri (1928) (translated as That Capri Air), which contains a number of historical and biographical essays on the island, including a tribute to Norman Douglas; The Story of San Michele (1929) by the Swedish royal physician Axel Munthe (1857–1949), who built a villa of that name; An Impossible Woman: The Memoirs of Dottoressa Moor (1975) by Elisabeth Moor, who worked there as a doctor from 1926 until the 1970s; and Shirley Hazzard's Graham on Capri: A Memoir (2000), about her reminiscences of Graham Greene. Edwin Cerio (1875-1960 was a prominent Italian writer engineer architect historian and botanist The Story of San Michele is a book of memoirs by Swedish physician Axel Munthe ( October 31, 1857 - February 11, 1949 Axel Martin Fredrik Munthe ( October 31, 1857, Oskarshamn, Sweden - February 11, 1949, Stockholm) was a The Villa San Michele was built around the turn of the 20th century by the Swedish physician Axel Munthe, on the ruins of the Roman Emperor Tiberius Shirley Hazzard (born 30 January 1931) is an author of Fiction and Non-fiction. Henry Graham Greene OM, CH (2 October 1904 &ndash 3 April 1991 was an English writer best known as a novelist but who also produced Short stories
Novels set on Capri include the eponymous Kapri (1939), by the Latvian novelist Jānis Jaunsudrabiņš, who represents the island as a sort of prison for Europeans who have run away from their normal lives and responsibilities, and I Love Capri by Belinda Jones.
Main sights
- Villa San Michele
- Grotta Azzurra, the Blue Grotto
- Villa Lysis
- Villa Jovis
- La Piazzetta
- Via Krupp
- Arco Naturale
- Villa Malaparte
- Torre Materita
- Certosa di San Giacomo
- Faraglioni
- Monte Solaro
- Punta Carena
- Marina Grande
Tourism
Capri is a tourist destination for both Italians and foreigners. In the 1950s, Capri became a popular destination for the international jet set. Jet Set was a Television programme in the UK It was presented by Eamonn Holmes, and it first started in 2001, on BBC television channel The central piazzetta of Capri, though preserving its modest village architecture, is lined with luxury boutiques and expensive restaurants.
During summers, the island is heavily touristed, often by day trippers from Naples and Sorrento.
American pop singer Mariah Carey is said to vacation here, and has referred to it as her favorite vacation destination.
Transportation
Capri is served by frequent ferry and hydrofoil service to Naples and Sorrento, as well as many other boat services to the ports of the Gulf of Naples and the Sorrentine Peninsula. See also Merchant ship A ferry is a form of transport usually a Boat or Ship, used to carry (or ferry) passengers and A hydrofoil is a Boat with wing-like foils mounted on struts below the hull. Naples ( Napoli, Neapolitan: Nàpule) is a historic City in southern Italy, the Capital of the Sorrento is a small city in Campania, Italy, with some 16500 inhabitants Boats call at Marina Grande, from where you can take the funicular up to the village of Capri. A funicular, also known as a funicular railway, incline, inclined railway, inclined plane, or cliff railway, is a type of self-contained A chair lift takes passengers to the top of the island.
Gallery
 Capri |
 Faraglione |
 Grotta Meravigliosa |
 Natural arch |
 San Giacomo |
 View from August´s Garden |
 Marina Piccola from August's Garden |
 Monte Tiberio |
 Il Funiculare from Marina Grande to Capri |
 View of Capri |
 View of Capri |
See also
External links
- Capri on Wikitravel
- Capri 360 panoramas (French)
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