Certosa di San Giacomo

The Charterhouse of St. James (Italian: Certosa di San Giacomo) was a Carthusian charterhouse founded in 1363 by Giacomo Arcucci on the island of Capri, in southern Italy. It is now a museum and is used for cultural events.

St. James Charterhouse

Certosa di San Giacomo
The charterhouse seen from the Northwest.
Location within Italy
Monastery information
Order	Carthusian
Established	1371
Disestablished	1808
Diocese	Capri
People
Founder(s)	Giacomo Arcucci
Site
Location	Via Certosa 10, Capri, Campania
Country	Italy
Coordinates	40°32′51″N 14°14′43″E
Visible remains	Substantial
Public access	Yes

The buildings that formed the charterhouse have three main areas: the pharmacy and women's church, the buildings for monks, and those for guests. The Great Cloister (Chiostro Grande) is of a late Renaissance design, while the Small Cloister (Chiostro Piccolo) features Roman marble columns.^[1]

History

Map showing the location of Certosa di San Giacomo on Capri east of Marina Piccola.

Count Giacomo Arcucci, a secretary to Joan I of Naples, established the charterhouse in 1371. He later became a monk himself in 1386.^[2]

In 1553 the monastery was restored and fortified and a tower was erected which collapsed in the 18th century.^[1]

There was often conflict between the islanders and the monks, who owned land as well as grazing and hunting rights. During the 1656 plague in Capri, the monks sealed themselves off, whereupon the islanders threw their corpses over the wall of the monastery in retribution.^[2]

Frères dans la Chartreuse de San Giacomo à Capri, a painting by Princess Caroline of Naples and Sicily.

Since 1974 the charterhouse houses the Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach museum among others^[3] and is used for cultural events. A high school is also on the premises.^[1]