Certosa in brief

Capri, fabled island of antiquity, largely forgotten in the Middle Ages but rediscovered in the nineteenth century as an international playground of the rich and famous, is thespectacular setting for la Certosa di San Giacomo (Charterhouse of Saint James). Founded as a monastery in 1363 by Count Giacomo Arcucci, nobleman of Capri and Grand Chamberlain to Queen Joanna I at the Angevin court of Naples, it has survived raids by Saracen pirates, plague, invasion, religious suppression, abandonment, conversion for use as a prison, military barracks, school and hospital, and has emerged into the 21st century as a priceless architectural treasure and cultural resource.

Nestled on the slopes just below the main town of Capri, in a spectacular setting overlooking the azure sea and the famous Faraglioni rocks, and surrounded by luxuriant gardens, the Certosa consists of a large vaulted chapel with frescoed ceiling, a refectory, a large cloister surrounded by monastic cells, a small cloister featuring elegant marble columns with Roman capitals, the Prior’s Apartments and numerous interconnected buildings. The refectory currently serves as a museum housing works of the German artist Karl Diefenbach, and in the summer, the cloisters are the scene of numerous musical performances and school pageants.

The Certosa is demanio statale (property of the Italian State) under the supervision of la Soprintendenza Speciale per il Polo Museale Napoletano, the supervisory body that also oversees the Certosa di San Martino and the Capodimonte Museum in Naples. The Soprintendenza has developed exciting plans for the restoration and development of the Certosa di Capri as a world-class museum, exhibition space, conference centre and heritage gardens.