Visit Ischia

Periodo: XVIII° secolo.
Destinazione originaria: abitazione.
Destinazione attuale: abitazione.
Copertura: piana a terrazzo.
Volte o solai: volte a botte, solaio in legno.
Scale: a doppia rampa.
Tecniche murarie: muratura in scaglie di pietra lavica con intonaco grezzo.
Pavimenti: battuto di lapillo e mattoni.
Decorazioni esterne: cornici in stucco.

Palazzetto - via Giovanni da Procida

Precedentemente al piano di risanamento del 1878 il palazzetto lambiva direttamente il mare.
Il prospetto che lambisce l'attuale via S.G.G. della Croce presenta una sovrapposizione di arcate a tutto sesto su due piani sostenute da pilastri in cui è stata ricavata l'apertura che consente il passaggio tra una loggetta e l'altra. La particolarità architettonica del palazzetto è il raccordo dei pilastri all'angolo che avviene con una smussatura dell'angolo.
L'arcata superiore è bordata da un cornicione in stucco leggermente aggettante.

Period: the 13th century; the beginning of the 17th century; 1751
Original use: sacred place.
Today’s use: sacred place.
Roofing: flat with an extrados dome, elliptical little domes.
Vaults or attic: lunette barrel-vault.
Masonry: Masonry in tuff and lava stones with painted plaster.
Floors: white and black marble squares.
External and internal decorations: decorative stucco-work.

Cattedrale - via L. Mazzella

At one time this church was occupied by the Eremiti brothers of Saint Augustine who lived in an attached convent which today has been transformed into private homes.
The façade of the church presents two superimposed rows and a gable that mainly takes up the central part, while on the sides two scrolls decorate the contour.
The layout of the basilica with three naves has a Latin cross when seen from the circular apse.
A wide dome with a lantern is on a high tambour perforated by four three-lobed windows that hand over the connection between the main axis and the wide transept.
Seven marble altars are divided in the lateral naves and in the central nave in front of
the entrance. the latter being surrounded by the choir where there are old walnut choir stalls.

To be seen:
Ebony cross; the table of Saint Thomas Aquinas; the baptismal font; a painting by G. Diano.

Bell-Tower - The bell-tower is found in Lungomare Aragonese

Period: the first half of the 15th century
Original use: defense tower.
Today’s use: bell-tower.
Today’s use: bell-tower.
Vaults or attic: pavilion vault.
Stairs: spiral stairs.
Masonry: pumices and lava stones with mortar plaster.
Floors: concrete.
External decorations: tores subdivided in lava stones, corbels.

The tower was erected as a concession made by Alfonso d’Aragona in 1433. Its purpose was to defend the village. It was restored after 1492. It was transformed into a bell-tower at the beginning of the 16th century.
The tower has a square base and it rises next to the east wall of the presbytery of the Cathedral.
Today it displays in its architectural traits the old role of the defense building: the base slopes, the curbs of lava stones are placed at the junction point of each of the the three planes and the loop-holes.
The loop-holes, together with the suspended little arches, are along the final part of the roof onto which the dome and the little lantern lean. The dome and the little lantern were already visible in the affresco of the early years of the 16th century painted in the Guevara tower.

Period: the 18th century.
Original use: home.
Today’s use: home.
Roofing: flat, terrazzo-style.
Vaults or attic: pavilion vault.
Stairs: three flights of stairs.
Masonry: Masonry in tuff and lava stones with painted plaster.
Floors: tiles and brickwork.
External decorations: cornices and gables in stucco.
Underground structures: cellars.

Palazzo Onorato - via L. Mazzella

The two-storey building expands on the map in an L shape. One can access the building through two entries: one in Vico Marina, the other in Vico Stradone.
Originally the façade facing the sea presented a spacious portico with open, large arches which today are partially closed due to the ‘tompagnature'. It was constructed during the second half of the 18th century by the Buonocore family and as a result of the marriage of the young heir Marianna with Nicola Onorato. The building took Nicola’s family name.
During the first half of the 19th century the archpriest Vincenzo Onorato lived here, author of an important manuscript entitled “Ragguaglio historico topografico dell’Isola d’Ischia”.
From the landscape perspective, together with the Malcovati building this building’s site is on high ground.

Tompagnatura: the closure of an opening through the construction of walls
Navata: a longitudinal space between two rows of columns and pillars or between external walls.
Abside: a semi-circular hollow covered by fl sphere façade
Tamburo: the structure at the base of a dome.
Transetto: the transverse nave that intersects the longitudinal naves near the apse.
Presbiterio: the part of the church exclusive to the officiating members of the clergy. It is separated by a low enclosure.
Archetti pensili: a series of little arches either suspended on corbels or lacking visible support.
Lanterna: an architectural structure placed as the crown of the dome.

Period: the second half of the 16th century
Original use: defence tower.
Today’s use: home.
Roofing: a terrazzo-style roof.
Vaults or attic: pavilion vault.
Stairs: two flights of stairs.
Masonry: Masonry in lava stones with painted plaster.
Floors: brickwork.
External decorations: portal made of piperno.
Furnishings: etching of the Castello Aragonese of Philip Hackert.

Palazzo Malcovati - via Marina

The Malcovati Building rises on the primitive coastal tower constructed by Orazio Tuttavilla, governor of the island during the second half of the 16th century as a result of the order set out by the Royal Palace Court of Naples of 1563 that favoured the construction of maritime towers for defence against pirates. The territory was given by the Augustinians so that the village and the convent could be guarded but already in 1675 the tower was passed over to a private owner and was widened.
In a painting by Heckert back in 1789 the lateral constructions are visible, while in a design by P. Mattei which dates back to 1847 these already reached the height of the tower.
One can access the building through two entries: one is from the side on the sea, through a flight of steps dug into the rock; the other is in the opposite façade through the main entry (made of piperno) which opens onto the piazzetta.