Did you know that… The Red House was born as a challenge to Axel Munthe and Cerio?
For 20 years the residence of an American colonel married to Mariuccia Cimmino from Anacapri.
Jhon Cay MacKowen
Among the many historical figures who remained slaves to the magical atmosphere of Capri , there was also Jhon Cay MacKowen, a former Southern colonel known for his past as a slaveholder in the American wars.
Construction started in 1877, the house was intended as a personal refuge from the world; in fact, the Greek inscription on the entrance portal is emblematic: “Hello or citizen of the land of idleness”.
Its architecture, so bizarre and eccentric, the assembly of objects of all kinds, of different styles and eras, seems to want to imitate the vein of cultural collecting of the Swedish doctor and Cerio, a frantic race, almost like a challenge . Probably also the expression of a spirit of exhibitionism, rather than escaping to an anonymous refuge.
What is known for sure is that the colonel married a young woman from Anacapri, Mariuccia Cimmino, and who lived in Capri until 1899, often practicing as a free doctor for the local farmers. The fact remains that this building, attached to an ancient tower (the “Forticelliam”), where in the past centuries Anacapri women wove linen and silks waiting for their husbands to return from the royal arsenal of Naples, is a point of interest that attracts the curiosity of every passerby presenting itself with its characteristic bright red color and decorated external facades.
The interior now houses a permanent exhibition entitled “The painted island”, and includes an accompanied visit lasting up to 45 minutes starting at 10:00 – 11:00 – 12:00 – 13:00 – 14:00 – 15:00
The opening hours are as follows:
– from 01 to 31 May from 10.00 to 17.00 – from 01 June to 30 September from 10.00 to 14.00 and from 17.00 to 20.00 – from 01 October to 20 December from 10.00 to 16.00 – from 28 December to 02 January from 10.00 at 16.00 closed on Mondays
Full ticket € 3.50 Reduced group ticket € 2.00 (min. 15 pax) Easy access for the disabled
