Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta, Scala
Founded in the 9th century and rebuilt in Romanesque-Norman style, Scala's cathedral is widely considered the oldest church on the entire Amalfi Coast — predating even Amalfi's own famous duomo. Its austere stone facade hides an interior of astonishing richness, including a mosaic-encrusted crypt that most visitors walk straight past.
Inside the Cathedral
The nave retains its original ribbed stone vaulting, and the side chapels are lined with 13th-century cosmatesque floor tiles — geometric interlocking circles of porphyry and serpentine marble that were almost certainly crafted by Roman workshop masters brought south by the local bishop.
Don't miss the Chapel of the Annunciation on the left aisle, which contains a delicate 14th-century fresco cycle in surprisingly vivid ochre and lapis tones. The crypt below holds the relics of Sant'Eutimio and features Byzantine-influenced mosaic columns.
The Square Outside
Piazza Municipio, the small square fronting the cathedral, is the social heart of Scala. A handful of elderly men play cards at the stone tables most mornings, and the bar opposite opens early enough for a proper espresso before the heat builds.
The square also gives you a direct sightline down the valley to the sea — a framing that makes even a quick phone snapshot look like a postcard.
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