Salerno, Southern Italian coastal city in Campania, Italy.
Salerno is a coastal city on the Tyrrhenian Sea in the Campania region. The urban area links a natural harbor with medieval lanes and a long waterfront promenade below gentle hills.
The medical school emerged in the early Middle Ages and became the first training institution for physicians in Western Europe. Norman rulers founded the cathedral in the 11th century and shaped the urban structure.
The cathedral holds medieval bronze doors from Constantinople and a mosaic floor from the 12th century. Visitors enter the courtyard through a Romanesque portico supported by reused ancient columns.
The main train station sits near the historic center and offers connections to Naples, Rome and regions further south. Ferries leave from the harbor to coastal destinations and islands across the gulf.
The Minerva Gardens from the 14th century sit on terraces above the old town and display over 300 medicinal plant species. The site originally served medical teaching and is considered the oldest botanical garden in Europe.
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