Santa Maria di Costantinopoli

Built in the 11th century, the Church of Santa Maria di Costantinopoli is considered the oldest place of worship in Anacapri. Its architecture recalls that of ancient rural churches, with a simple façade and the characteristic bell gable. It can be reached by following the road towards the Migliera viewpoint, crossing the historic district of Li Curti, whose name derives from the typical houses with inner courtyards. Later, the neighbourhood became known as Catena, a name linked to the devotion to the Madonna, invoked by the inhabitants to free the Capri prisoners captured by the Turks from their “chains”.

The small entrance of the church opens onto a charming avenue lined with cypress trees and a garden that once served as the cemetery of the neighbourhood. The interior preserves an intimate and simple atmosphere, characterised by a single nave, a masonry pulpit on the right side, and a cross-vaulted ceiling.

For several centuries, the Church of Santa Maria di Costantinopoli played a central role in the religious life of Anacapri, serving as the village’s first parish church until 1510, the year when the new Church of Santa Sofia was completed.