What to see in Lettere, a small village of Roman origin, origin of the name and historical information, itinerary of the main attractions, including the castle and the cathedral sanctuary.
Tourist information
Small town in Campania, part of the metropolitan area of Naples and located in the southern part of the Gulf of Naples, Lettere is located on the higher altitude part of the Lattari Mountains.
According to some theories, the origin of the name derives from the Lattari mountains, while other scholars believe that it comes from the letters that arrived at the Castle during the war against Stabia and Pompeii.
Among the monuments and places of interest is the castle which, built at the behest of the Amalfi, served as a sighting and defense of the duchy.
Later it was greatly enlarged by the Normans and the Swabians, until it reached its maximum splendor under the Angevins, who added new towers and firearms.
With the arrival of the Aragonese, the castle of Lettere lost its original military function and was converted into a private home, first falling into a state of complete abandonment.
Restored between the late 1900s and early 2000s, the castle has become open to visitors.
What see
The sanctuary of Sant'Anna, which was the cathedral of the diocese until 1818, initially dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, was built in the late 1500s to replace a previous cathedral, which became too small compared to the increased capacity requirements to host a greater number of faithful during liturgical services.
Over time it was restored several times, until it assumed its current appearance, dating back to 1791.
It is very interesting to visit the interior of the church, with the main altarpiece dedicated to the Virgin and Child Jesus, a painting on canvas depicting the Madonna of the Rosary, and two canvases from the 1700s dedicated to St. Joseph and St. John the Baptist , in addition to the statue of Sant'Anna, patron saint of the town, located in the chapel of the same name and dating back to 1503.
In the vicinity of the castle, the remains of the ancient cathedral are still visible, including some parts of the perimeter walls and the bell tower, dating back to 1100 and decorated with inserts of gray tuff and six rose windows different from each other.
