At 789 meters above sea level, with an unparalleled view of the entire island, the Epomeo Museum – housed in the extraordinary spaces of the hermitage, entirely dug into the green tuff, an admirable example of rock architecture – allows for an unprecedented journey into the history of the island of Ischia, among rituals and myths linked to the charm of the mountain that towers above the island.
In the spaces of nuns and hermits
Inside, the ancient spaces dedicated to the spiritual retreat of the hermits and, for a brief period during the 1500s, the Poor Clare nuns, have been reconstructed with great care. Thus pantry and refectory, scriptorium and cells, even a small kitchen, have taken shape. There is no shortage of period utensils and valuable evidence of rural life on the land island. Among the tales inspiring the current reconstruction of the spaces is that of the life of Joseph of Argouth, who commanded the military garrison stationed on the island and who retired to private life right here after a vow to St. Nicholas, who pardoned him during an ambush by some thugs.
Embellishing the architecture are extraordinary windows that open onto the geology of the entire island, as well as the path of a striking permanent photo exhibit, which traces the culture and folk traditions of the last century of the small hamlet of Fontana
The trekking route to the Epomeo Museum
The museum can be reached exclusively on foot, at the end of a trekking path that crosses the ancient mule track and will lead, a few meters beyond the hermitage, to the top of the mountain.
The tour of the interior spaces (with the museum there is also the lovely church of St. Nicholas, erected in the 15th century, part of the complex, with a significant relic chapel) is open Thursday through Sunday, with schedules that vary depending on the season and weather conditions, which-especially in winter-are a prerequisite for reaching the Museum.
