Palazzo Santa Croce, Amalfi Coast

From Historic Monastery to Luxury Villa, 

Palazzo Santa Croce was originally a small monastery that later became a bishopric in 1716. As a bishop’s residence at the height of the Baroque period, the building was renovated in the ornate style that remains today, and decorated with rare and precious woods and silks, which were traded in Positano’s port with merchants from the Orient. The villa’s lacquered doors, frescoed ceilings, and elaborate stucco flourishes were created by local masters. When maritime trade ended, Positano gradually became a poor fishing village…though Palazzo Santa Croce remained a luxurious palace overlooking the town.

At the beginning of the 1900’s, the Amalfi Coast began attracting travelers drawn to the timeless beauty of this stretch of coastline. Among these European visitors was Edward Gillhausen, a Bauhaus artist fleeing the Nazi regime who fell in love with Positano and decided to take up residence here with his wife. The couple lived in the Palazzo until the early 2000’s, transforming the villa into a cultural center adorned with precious artwork and antiques. Together, they would host great icons of 20th-century culture like Picasso, John Steinbeck, Alberto Moravia, and many others.

In 2003, the villa was purchased by two local entrepreneurs, friends of the Ghillausens, who shared their vision of preserving the property and subsequently subjected it to a skillful restoration, returning the palazzo to its former splendor. Today, the Palazzo Santa Croce is an exclusive San Pietro Hotel luxury property

 Website Palazzo Santa Croce