|
Cetara a silent sea-side town that owes everything to the sea:
the name comes from " Cetus", the enormous whale that once
crossed this waters, or from " Cetari" the formidable
hunters of tuna ,The life style is ruled by the seasons ; lemons in
the cold months , fishing in the good weather...
The last "
universitas" of the Amalfitan alliance, the entrance gate and
bastion,, Cetara had a discreet importance as a trading port, similar
to those eastern ware-houses where the entrances of the houses
gave out on to the port and were both home and workshop: enormous
bazaars, a mixture of men and goods , spices and fine silks, dates and
precious stones...
The Normans brought war and oppression ... and the commitment to the
Abbey of Cava Dei Tirreni and the haughty emissary: "Superintendent
of the sea", who supervised the famous "Tonnara"
, the important market of tuna and swordfish , then the only vital
activity...
The fishing is still the main activity, even the pens of the Romantic
travellers or the brushes of the Costaioli Painters (Albino,
Nicoletti, Forcellino) could not bend Cetara to tourism, the almost
voluntary refusal of tourism is a pity as Cetara as much of interest
to offer even to the most exacting visitor ....
|
