Maiori is located in the deepest inlet of the Amalfi Coast, between Amalfi and Capo d'Orso (Bear's Cape), on what was once the mouth of the river Reginna Maior, so named to distinguish it from the adjacent Reginna Minor, where rose Minori. This small river has for centuries influenced the life of the town, until the last ruinous inundation of 1954, after that Maiori had to be almost completely rebuilt, so the general aspect of the town is today modern and only few historic buildings remain.

However these troubles have always been balanced by the great advantages procured by the location of Maiori, point of contact between the sea and the valley behind, which had been for centuries the main line of communication between the Amalfi Coast and the inland of Agro Nocerino and all Vesuvius area. Even the actual prosperous tourist activities are a consequence of the tons of debris amassed in centuries by the river and that have formed the largest beach in the whole Amalfi Coast.

The earliest settlement of Maiori seems to belong to the Etruscan Age, when the refugee from Marcinna (probably the actual Vietri sul Mare) came here and founded a village named Cossa, corresponding to the actual district of San Pietro in Posula. The toponymy would have kept tracks of this settlement in the name of the main square in front of the church, named until the 19th century Piazza Vertunno, from the name of the Etruscan god Vertumno, to whom it was dedicated the temple. To the Roman Age belongs the name Reginna Maior, even if the name of the river Reginna seems to have an Etruscan root too.

During the Middle Ages Maiori was the main operative centre of the Maritime Republic of Amalfi: here were part of the arsenals (other ones in Minori) but, most of all, here were the military headquarters of the fleet, the main customs offices and the representatives of foreign merchant companies. In short it was the main harbour of the Republic. For its strategic position it was surrounded by coastal defences and wall fortifications, of which remain nowadays some defense towers and the Castle of San Francesco (St.Francis) rebuilt in 15th century. Even under the Reign of Naples, Maiori preserved its commercial function and also a certain prosperity, which made it deserve the title of Cittą Regia (Royal Town) during the Spanish Viceroyalty.  [ More...]