Chiesa San Michele, Anacapri
Churches in Italy never fail to impress. Architecture, paintings, sculpture, mosaics, history and so much more.
Chiesa San Michele has something I had not previously seen in the numerous churches I have visited. It has a ceramic floor of Majolica tiles, called the Garden of Eden. Dating from 1761 there are approximately 1,500 tiles showing Adam and Eve as they are expelled from the garden. Leonardo Chiaiese was the craftsman who created this masterpiece, depicting the serpent in the tree, the expulsion and some of the most glorious animals described in the bible.
To properly appreciate the entire floor, it is necessary to climb up to the gallery.
Having viewed the entire floor, I then descended down to the ground floor to examine the floor in detail. My favourite animal/creature I think was the unicorn, closely followed by the elephant, the camel and the owl.
There is, of course more to see in Chiesa San Michelle, but the majolica tiled floor is unique – the art and general decor is secondary.
Capri is so beautiful, has so much to offer historically and is so much more than just the blue grotto. This church was an unexpected delight.
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