Chiesa di Sant'Erasmo

In Pucara, one of the thirteen hamlets of the mountain commune of Tramonti, the church of Sant'Erasmo gathers the village around a dome on an octagonal drum. Built over an older chapel dedicated to Saint Sebastian, it preserves paintings from the school of Luca Giordano.

Why it matters

Tramonti is a commune of thirteen historic villages, each with its own church. Sant'Erasmo is the parish church of Pucara, and its paintings from the school of Luca Giordano connect the village church to a wider Neapolitan Baroque tradition.

What to notice

The exterior is distinguished by the dome on its octagonal drum and the spire above. The single nave has shallow side chapels and a crossing under the dome. Canvases attributed to the school of Luca Giordano reflect the patronage that Tramonti's families, including merchants who prospered elsewhere, directed toward their home parishes. Vineyards and lemon gardens climb around the village, reflecting the terraced agriculture that distinguishes Tramonti within the coast's wine country.

Context and history

The nineteenth-century historian Matteo Camera described Tramonti as a territory of thirteen nearby casali, each with its own parish church.