Why go
The church rewards attention to the way its parts are arranged: the broad lower façade narrows above, while the central nave and side aisles use different forms of vaulting. The Arcucci tombs also link this town church to the Certosa di San Giacomo, giving the two buildings a shared historical thread.
The full story
Construction of Santo Stefano began in 1688 to a design by Francesco Antonio Picchiatti. The main building was completed in 1697, consecration followed in 1723, and interior work continued into the eighteenth century. Its cathedral role ended in 1818 when the diocese of Capri was suppressed. The façade is divided horizontally, with a large central window above the portals and stucco decoration around the architectural elements. Inside, the central nave has a barrel vault, while domes cover the side aisles. A larger dome marks the crossing. The tombs of Giacomo and Vincenzo Arcucci were transferred here from the Certosa in 1891. One represents the charterhouse in the hands of its founder, a small carved detail that makes the connection between the two religious buildings unusually explicit.