Castel dell’Ovo is the oldest castle in Naples and is one of the constructions that stand out the most when you approach the city from the sea. Its name derives from an ancient legend about the Latin poet Virgil, who hid an egg in the foundation of the fortress, saying that its breaking would have caused not only the collapse of the castle, but also a series of disastrous catastrophes to the city of Naples. During the 14th century, the castle suffered extensive damage due to the partial collapse of an arch and, to prevent the panic spreading among the population for the alleged future catastrophes that would have hit the city, the queen Giovanna I had to swear she had replaced the broken egg. SHORT HISTORY In a document dating back to 1128, a fortification is mentioned on the island of Megaride, now a peninsula, the place where the Castel dell’Ovo will be built later. In 1140, Roger the Norman, conquering Naples, settled in this fortress. Castel dell’Ovo is further fortified in 1222 by Frederick II, who makes it the seat of the royal treasure and has other towers built, the castle becoming a palace and a state Read more [...]
All SEE in Naples
Naples is known for having one of the largest historical city centers in the world, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.
The city is filled with interesting places, of which we can mention the beautiful square Piazza del Plebiscito, the seaside castle Castel dell’Ovo, the magnificent medieval Castel Nuovo, Galleria Umberto or the Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale). But these are only a few of the things awaiting you in Naples.
Piazza del Plebiscito
Piazza del Plebiscito, formerly known as Largo di Palazzo, is a beautiful large square in Naples, with an area of about 25,000 square meters, bordered at one end by the Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace) and at the other by the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola. SHORT HISTORY At the beginning of the 17th century, the Palazzo Reale was built by the architect Domenico Fontana, who turned the palace facade towards an open space, which will be known as Largo di Palazzo. The space became the vital center of the city and, at the same time, a very important public representation area. When the viceroy settled in the Royal Palace, the square did not have an adequate conformation, and the side of Largo facing the sea was embellished with various sculptural elements, including a majestic three-arched fountain designed by Pietro Bernini and Michelangelo Naccherino, and a colossal bust of Jupiter found in Pozzuoli, named Gigante di Palazzo. At the end of the 18th century, Palazzo Salerno was built on a project by Francesco Sicuro for Ferdinand IV of Naples, changing somehow the appearance of the square. Only at the beginning of the 19th century, during the Napoleonic period, the Read more [...]
Castel Nuovo
Castel Nuovo, also called Maschio Angioino (Angevin Keep), is a medieval castle in Naples, located in Via Vittorio Emanuele III, overlooking Piazza Municipio. Today, the castle is the seat of the Neapolitan Society of Homeland History (Società Napoletana di Storia Patria) and of the Naples Committee of the Institute for the History of the Italian Resurgence (Comitato di Napoli dell’Istituto per la Storia del Risorgimento Italiano). The Civic Museum (Museo Civico) is also located in the castle, to which the Palatine Chapel and the museum itineraries on the first and second floors belong. SHORT HISTORY In 1266, Charles I of Anjou, after defeating the Swabians, ascended the throne of Sicily and transferred the capital from Palermo to Naples. Until then, the royal residence of Naples was Castel Capuano, but the Norman fortress was inadequate for this function, and the king wanted to build a new castle near the sea. The project was assigned to the French architect Pierre de Chaule, and the works for the construction of Castrum Novum began in 1279, to finish only three years later. However, the castle remained unused, because Charles I of Anjou, following the revolt of the Sicilian Vespers, lost the crown of Read more [...]
Basilica of San Francesco di Paola
Basilica of San Francesco di Paola is an impressive church in Piazza del Plebiscito, in Naples, one of the most important examples of neoclassical architecture in Italy. SHORT HISTORY Joachim Murat, Napoleon’s brother-in-law through marriage to his younger sister, Caroline Bonaparte, and King of Naples from 1808 to 1815, started a project of urban renewal of the city during his reign. This affected the suburban area, which later became Piazza del Plebiscito, home to numerous convents and gardens, as well as a place frequented by criminals. The French general ordered the demolition of the buildings and the construction of a square that was supposed to take the name of Foro Gioacchino. The works began in 1809, but were never completed due to the ousting of Joachim Murat from Naples and the restoration of the Bourbon crown. Back to the throne, Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies decided to build a church in the square, and the competition was won by the architect Pietro Bianchi, who had partly rediscovered the old project of Murat. Domenico Barbaia became responsible for building the church and the first stone was laid on 17 June 1816. The facade was finished in 1824, the interior Read more [...]
