Portrait of Vito Positano exhibited in the Italian embassy in Sofia

Commemorative plaque to Vito Positano on Positano Street in Sofia

Vittorio Positano, popularly known as Vito Positano (2 October 1833–26 November 1886) was an early Italian diplomat known for saving the Bulgarian capital city of Sofia from burning during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878.^[1]

Positano was born in the Southern Italian city of Noicattaro, formerly Noja, Province of Bari, then part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. He enlisted in the kingdom's army and was promoted to the rank of Captain for his participation in the crushing of local brigandage. After his service in the army, he joined the Bari fire brigade.^[1] According to some accounts, Positano was a follower of Giuseppe Garibaldi and participated in the Italian unification (Risorgimento).^[2]

After the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861, Positano joined the diplomatic branch of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome in 1863. He was at first a diplomatic agent in Trieste in the Austrian Empire; he later held various posts in Italian consulates, mainly in the Ottoman Empire. He served in Corfu, Malta, Algeria and Constantinople. In 1876, he was appointed Vice Consul in Sofia.^[1]

As Joseph Gurko's forces approached the Ottoman-controlled city during the Russo-Turkish War, Positano, together with the French Vice Consul Léandre François René le Gay and the Austro–Hungarian Vice Consul, refused to leave Sofia, thus saving it from the planned burning by the Ottoman defending forces.^[2] After the Ottoman retreat, Positano organized armed detachments to protect the population from marauders (regular Ottoman Army deserters, bashi-bazouks and Circassians)^[3] and a fire brigade to put out individual fires; this was the first fire brigade in Sofia's history.^[2] For his deeds during the war, Positano received an order from the Russian Empire and was made honorary citizen of Sofia, the capital of the newly-established autonomous Principality of Bulgaria. He remained Italian Vice Consul in Sofia until 1879.

In 1881, Positano was sent to Damascus to serve as Consul; in a few years he was dispatched to Yokohama, Japan, where he died in 1886.^[1]

Streets in his native town and the Bulgarian capital Sofia^[1] have been named after Vito Positano. The one in Sofia is particularly famous for the 20 Positano Street address, the headquarters of the Bulgarian Socialist Party.^[3][4]

References[link]

Positano
—  Comune  —
Comune di Positano
Panoramic view of Positano
Positano Location of Positano in Italy
Coordinates: 40°38′N 14°29′E / 40.633°N 14.483°E / 40.633; 14.483Coordinates: 40°38′N 14°29′E / 40.633°N 14.483°E / 40.633; 14.483
Country	Italy
Region	Campania
Province	Salerno (SA)
Frazioni	Montepertuso, Nocelle
Government
• Mayor	Michele De Lucia
Area
• Total	8 km2 (3 sq mi)
Elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population (1 April 2009)
• Total	3,968
• Density	500/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Demonym	Positanesi
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	84017
Dialing code	089
Patron saint	San Vito
Saint day	June 15
Website	Official website

Positano is a village and comune on the Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana), in Campania, Italy. The main part of the city sits in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast.

History[link]

Positano was a port of the Amalfi Republic in medieval times, and prospered in the 16th and 17th centuries. But by the mid-19th century, the town had fallen on hard times. More than half the population emigrated, mostly to Australia.

Positano was a relatively poor fishing village during the first half of the 20th century. It began to attract large numbers of tourists in the 1950s, especially after John Steinbeck published his essay about Positano in Harper's Bazaar in May, 1953: "Positano bites deep", Steinbeck wrote. "It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone."

Main sights[link]

Positano's beach.

The church of Santa Maria Assunta features a dome made of majolica tiles as well as a 13th century Byzantine icon of a black Madonna. ^[1] According to local legend, the icon had been stolen from Byzantium and was being transported by pirates across the Mediterranean. A terrible storm had blown up in the waters opposite Positano and the frightened sailors heard a voice on board saying "Posa, posa!" ("Put down! Put down!"). The precious icon was unloaded and carried to the fishing village and the storm abated.

Culture[link]

Positano has been featured in several films, including Only You (1994), and Under the Tuscan Sun (2003), as well as being mentioned in the 2009 musical film Nine in the song "Cinema Italiano". Positano is also the setting for the romantic adventure novel, "Finding Positano, A Love Story" (2010), by William James. It also hosts the annual Cartoons on the Bay Festival, at which Pulcinella awards for excellence in animation are presented. From July 1967 and through most of the 1970s, Positano was home of singer-songwriter Shawn Phillips and was where most of his best known work was composed. Also, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards from The Rolling Stones wrote the song "Midnight Rambler" in the cafes of Positano while on vacation.

Patricia Highsmith based the little port of Mongibello in The Talented Mr Ripley on Positano. The town is also where parts of the film adaptation were filmed.

Today tourism is by far the major industry in Positano. Positano is also very popular for Limoncello and for L"Albertissimo", an alcoholic tipple that can only be found at a small stall at the main harbour.

Airport[link]

The nearest airport is Salerno-Pontecagnano Airport (QSR).

See also[link]

• Li Galli
• Amalfi Coast
• Sorrentine Peninsula

References[link]

External links[link]

Media related to Positano at Wikimedia Commons

• Mapquest
• Cartoons on the Bay Festival
• Positano live streaming webcam
• Positano online newspaper about Positano, the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento and Campania in general
• Léonide Massine Dance Award, Positano - official website
• Italy Travel Video - Positano

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