CARTHUSIA

Legend has it that in 1380 the father prior of the Carthusian Monastery of St. Giacomo was taken unaware by the news of the arrival in Capri of Queen Giovanna d’Angiò and so made a flower arrangement with the most beautiful flowers of the island. The water was not changed for three days and, when the flowers were thrown away, the prior noticed that the water had acquired a fragrance unknown to him. He went to the father alchemist who traced the origin of this scent back to the “Garofilum silvestre caprese”. That water became the first perfume of Capri. History, on the other hand, relates that in 1948 the prior of the Monastery discovered the old formulas of the perfumes and, with by permission from the Pope, revealed them to a chemist from Turin, who created the smallest laboratory in the world and called it “Carthusia”, i.e. Certosa. The tradition is now being continued and the limited production means being able to use the same methods as the Carthusian monks. All the preparations are made from genuine products of high quality and even the end product is handwrapped. The essence derived from rosemary picked on Monte Solaro is used in men’s products, while the essence of the Capri wild carnation is used in women’s fragrances.