CAPRI (anc. Capreae), an island in the province of Naples (from which town it is 17 m. S.), on the south side of the Bay of Naples, of which it commands a fine view. Pop. (1931) of the commune of Capri. 8,041 ; of Anacapri, 2,436. It is 4 m. in length and the greatest width is I2 m., the total area being 51 square miles. The highest point is the Monte Solaro (1,920 ft.) on the west, while at the east end the cliffs rise to a height of 90o ft. sheer from the sea. The usual landing-place is on the north side (Marina Grande) with a funicular railway up to the town; but the Marina Piccola, on the south, is used when there is a strong north wind. The two small towns, Capri (45o ft.) and Anacapri (98o ft.), until the construction of a carriage road in 1874 were connected only by a flight of 784 steps. The island lacks water, and is dusty during drought, but is fertile, producing fruit, wine and olive oil. The indigenous flora comprises 85o species. The prosperity of the island depends mainly upon foreign visitors (some 6o,000 annually). The famous Blue Grotto, the most cele brated of many sea caves known in Roman times, was rediscovered in 1826.
The high land in the west of the island and the less elevated region in the east are formed of limestones similar to the Urgonian (Lr. Cretaceous) of Sicily. The intervening depression, which is probably bounded on the west by a fault, is filled to a large extent by sandstones and marls of Eocene age. A superficial layer of recent volcanic tuff occurs in several parts of the island. At the Blue Grotto, as in other parts of the island, indications of recent changes of sea-level are seen.
Neolithic remains have been found in the Grotto delle Felci, see Rellini, in Monumenti dei Lincei xxix. (1924) 305 sqq., a cave on the south coast. Capri belonged to Neapolis, until the time of Augustus, who took it in exchange for Aenaria (Ischia) and often resided there. Tiberius, who spent the last ten years of his life at Capri, built no fewer than twelve villas there ; to these the great majority of ancient remains on the island belong; the best pre served, on the east extremity, consisting of vaulted substructures and the foundations of a pharos (lighthouse). This was known as Villa Jovis, and the other eleven were perhaps named after other deities. Numerous ancient cisterns show that in Roman as in modern times rain-water was largely used for lack of springs. The wife and sister of Commodus were banished hither. The mediaeval town was at the Marina Grande ; and to it belonged the early church of S. Costanzo. In the 15th century the inhabitants took refuge from pirates higher up, at the two towns of Capri and Anacapri. In 1806 the island was taken by the English fleet under Sir Sidney Smith, and strongly fortified, but in 1808 it was retaken by the French under Lamarque. In 1815 it was restored to Ferdi nand I. of the Two Sicilies.