The monument, restored in June 2022, depicts Flavio Gioia staring at a compass. The bronze sculpture by the artist Alfonso Balzico, was awarded a gold medal at the Universal Expo of Paris in 1900, and was only positioned in the piazza overlooking the Sea of Amalfi 30 years later.
According to tradition, Flavio Gioia was an inventor and navigator born in Amalfi between the 13th and 14th century, and he was long believed to be the inventor of the compass. It is now established that the figure of Flavio Gioia derives from a misinterpretation of a 16th century manuscript. It is also certain that Amalfi played a decisive role in the history of the compass, by using the magnetic needle for maritime navigation, as evidenced by documents from the late 12th century. Amalfi was also the first to attach a paper disc depicting the famous eight-pointed ‘wind rose’, recalling the cross symbol of Amalfi, to the magnetic needle.
A charming local tradition believes that the Tramontana wind is named after Tramonti, a village on the coast north of Amalfi.
