Among the most popular photos that you will find on Vico, you can’t help but find the one in which the beautiful church of Santa Maria Annunziata is framed, located on a rocky ridge and overlooking the sea, this is one of the most fascinating monumental churches of the Sorrento Coast.
The structure dates back to the 14th century and represents, in its internal naves, one of the few examples of Gothic architecture present in the territory. The church was the bishopric and cathedral of the diocese until 1818.
Once, the cathedral of Viceroy was located in the lower part of the city, but the city centre was moved to the upper part after the pirate raids and so it was decided to build the present structure, according to the will of the bishop Paolo Pace. The new seat of the bishopric was built between 1320 and 1330, on the ruins of the ancient Roman temple of Cybele.The structure today has a Baroque facade, rebuilt in 700, while the interior is divided into three naves with the central culminating in a fourteenth-century apse. The sacristy is in Gothic style and inside there are 34 frescoes illustrating the bishops of Vicenza.
Among the works present in the church, of important importance are the urns of Gaetano Filangieri, an eighteenth-century economist who lived in the Giusso castle, another important Vicana structure a few steps from the church, and a statue of the Virgin with a golden crown enriched with precious stones.
Next to the church stands an imposing sixteenth-century bell tower built on three floors. The rose-coloured church of Santissima Annunziata is also called "di Punta a Mare" and is a very popular destination for married couples who intend to celebrate their wedding. Outside the structure there is a square that overlooks the sea village offering a breathtaking view that embraces the Gulf of Naples and the coast.
