TERRITORY

Sandwiched between Mount Civita in the east and Mount Aureo in the west, Atrani stretches along the valley of the River Dragon, so named because legend has it that there was hiding a terrible dragon that spit fire.

Atrani is the smallest town in southern Italy for territorial extension and second only to  Fiera di Primiero, throughout Italy.

For the 'enchanting beauty of alleyways, arches, courtyards, the squares, displaying "stairways" of homes, placed one upon another, the suggestive atmosphere of the evening, when the lights are on, is Atrani frequently been used as a film set for movies and commercials becoming part of the most beautiful towns in Italy. Atrani, just 700 meters from the famous Amalfi Coast is the only country to preserve intact its ancient character of the small village of fishermen.

The first houses face directly on the beach, and then gather around the square with the church of San Salvatore and the stone fountain, rising finally to the valley and climb along the rocky slopes of the hill, cross the gardens and crops lemons. Isolated from traffic, protected by its old houses with balconies full of flowers, the square of Atrani enters the beach and the sea, through the ancient passage created for the boats to rescue storm surges. The respect and attention to the simple original vocation are, therefore, of Atrani a rare example of a balanced development of tourism.

Real vital center of the village is the square, meeting place and entertainment: the tables of the bars Italians and tourists from all over the world, comparing their views, learn this. The small beach, adorned boats and fishing nets in low season, becomes, on summer, a meeting place for young people of all nationalities. For tourists and visitors to the discovery of the gentle landscape is interwoven with the testimony of history.

The memory of time and identity of this architectural piece of the world that, in the form of roads and squares talks about his past events. A quid pluris which helps to make this little "village" unique and perhaps valuable as a few others.

ETYMOLOGY

Do not know the exact origin of the name Atrani: depending on the room comes from the Latin ater, atra, Atrum = dark, gloomy, because enclosed between two mountains, according to Della Corte Praedium derives from the atria of Gens = Possession of degl'abitanti Atria, according to other authors derive from Atrani = greek settlement.

ORIGINS

The origins of Atrani are still unknown. Archaeological research has established that in the first century. d.C. along the Amalfi Coast, there were Roman villas, which were, however, covered by material that erupted from Vesuvius in 79 AD, was deposited on the surrounding mountains and from there, later, was slid into the valley.

In the fifth century AD, following the barbarian invasions, many Romans fled the city first took refuge in the mountains Lattari and then along the coasts, where they created the settlements.


The first documented proof of the existence of Atrani is represented by a letter from Pope Gregory the Great to the Bishop Pimen dated 596 AD .