Casa Rossa
Anacapri
Hidden gemHistory & archaeology
The story
The Pompeian-red residence an American colonel wanted in Moorish style, today the keeper of the Roman statues recovered from the waters of the Grotta Azzurra.
Access
🎟️ combined ticket
The story
The Casa Rossa, in the centre of Anacapri, owes its name to its intense Pompeian red. The American colonel John Clay MacKowen, a veteran of the Civil War and an archaeology enthusiast, built it between 1876 and 1898, incorporating an ancient Aragonese tower. On the portal, a Greek inscription greets the visitor as a 'citizen of the land of leisure'.
What to see
An eclectic and curious building, among mullioned windows, twisted columns and ceramic arches, with a courtyard-antiquarium full of finds. Today it is a museum: it hosts the exhibition 'The Painted Island', with paintings of Capri between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and three Roman statues found in the Blue Grotto.
How to get there
- Hydrofoil
- Ferry
Tips
The Casa Rossa has its own entrance and hours: check on the official channels. It is in the centre of Anacapri, handy to combine with the nearby church of San Michele with the majolica floor. A short and original stop.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Casa Rossa of Anacapri?
An eclectic residence of Pompeian red colour, built in the late nineteenth century by the American colonel John Clay MacKowen; today a museum with the exhibition 'The Painted Island' and Roman statues from the Blue Grotto.
What can you see at the Casa Rossa?
The eclectic architecture, the courtyard-antiquarium with the finds, the paintings of Capri and the three Roman statues found in the Blue Grotto.
Where is it?
In the centre of Anacapri, near the church of San Michele.
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