What is San Michele?
San Michele is a Swedish cultural institution on the island of Capri. It consists of a museum surrounded by unusually beautiful grounds, a guest house for Swedish citizens engaged in cultural work or in research, a nature reserve for the protection of migrating birds and the preservation of certain Mediterranean flora, as well as the Barbarossa Mountain.Who was Axel Munthe?
Axel Munthe was the creator of San Michele Already as a young physician, he decided to put into reality his dreams, ambitions and ideas through the creation of a home in Anacapri, which later became world renowned through the success of his book, The Story of San Michele.
Axel Munthe belonged to a family that originally came from Flanders and which settled in Sweden during the 16th century. Munthe was born in Sweden and died there at the age of 92, though in his person he was extremely international.
He spent most of his life abroad and the message to which his entire life gives expression belongs to all humanity: for instance, his book, The Story of San Michele, can be read in no less than 45 languages and the Villa San Michele is visited by millions of people from all over the world. With the exception of a few shorter periods, Munthe lived on Capri for more than 56 years. His interest for the island in the Bay of Naples coincided with the growing popularity of Capri as an attractive place of residence for famous personages from all the world.
Munthe shared his love of music, animals and nature with the Swedish queen, Victoria, who lived on Capri for health reasons for long periods of time Axel Munthe's concern for the birds on the island, which were shot in disastrous numbers, led him to acquire the rights to the Barbarossa Mountain in order to create a sanctuary for migrating birds. Axel Munthe said that, to bird lovers, the island of Capri is like a symphony of sounds Together with the queen, Munthe arranged evening concerts where the queen also played the piano. Munthe himself had a good baritone voice, and he played the violin and the piano.
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The Villa San Michele Museum is open all year (every day)
Opening times
May to September: 09.00 - 18.00
October: 09.00 - 17.00
November to February: 09.00 - 15.30
March: 09.00 - 16.30
April: 09.00 - 17.00
Entrance 5,00 Euro
Director Peter Cottino Head Office assistant@sanmichele.org Administration bokning@sanmichele.org Museum museum@sanmichele.org Bookshop bookshop@sanmichele.org Services services@sanmichele.org Events events@sanmichele.org Archive sanmichele@sanmichele.org
Villa San Michele
V.le Axel Munthe, 34
80071 ANACAPRI - ITALY
Ph. +39 - 081 - 8371401
Fax +39 - 081 - 8373279Stiftelsen San Michele
Skeppargatan 8, 3tr
114 52 STOCKHOLM
Ph. 08 - 662 31 33
Fax. 08 - 665 31 33
Partita IVA 00050110634
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