Quick search
CTRL+K
Quick search
CTRL+K
Naples or Napoli is in a way the southern Italian capital and it is a former residential city which greets visitors with an abundance of impressive sights in a blend with the city’s almost chaotic charm; whether it is culture, nature or gastronomy you are looking for. Naples simply has it all and is a wonderful and unforgettable place to be.
In the old town, the streets are narrow with beautiful small squares in between the many churches, statues and the countless beautiful buildings that emit patina and Italian charm – and extra much as church and dining hours approach. It’s just about being curious and enjoying the atmosphere.
Fantastic church buildings, majestic castles, elegant palaces and lovely promenades are also the epitome of Naples, which as a royal city has always been one of the major Italian cities. Thus, you can plan a trip through the metropolis to see highlights of several centuries of construction.
On the horizon of Naples towers the volcano Vesuvius, which with its eruption in the year 79 buried Pompeii and Herculanuem, two of the major sights of Naples today. Vesuvius is the prime landmark of the Naples region, and you can enjoy the view to the high mountain from several places in the city, and you can also climb the volcano to the crater edge.
Several volcanic activities await in the Phlegraean Fields west of the city, and the islands of Capri and Ischia and the Amalfi Coast are also great choice as day trip destinations. Culturally, there is also a lot to see; such as the splendid castle of Caserta or Paestum’s archaeology.
When Charles I of Sicily became king in 1266, the capital of Naples was Sicilian Palermo. When Naples became the capital, Charles I decided to have a new residence built. It was to be located by the sea in contrast to the previous Neapolitan royal residence, Castel Capuano.
Construction began in 1279, and three years later the castle was completed. Due to wars, Charles I did not get to use the castle. It was his son, Charles II, who moved in in 1285 and made the castle the political center of Naples.
Several historically important events have taken place at the castle over the years. In 1294, Pope Celestine V abdicated here, and eleven days later a college of cardinals appointed Boniface VIII as the new pope.
In the 14th century, the castle was expanded and in 1347 troops under Louis I of Hungary ravaged the place, so it had to be extensively restored. In the middle of the 15th century, the castle was strengthened so that it could withstand the modern artillery of the time. It was also during this time that Francesco Laurana’s triumphal arch was established at the castle’s entrance. The arch was to mark the triumph of King Alfonso V’s arrival in Naples.
In 1494, Naples became Spanish, and Castel Nuovo passed from a status of a residential castle to a military unit. It was not until the 18th century that a king lived here again. It was the Spanish king Charles III.
At the beginning of the 19th century, an extensive restoration was carried out. A number of buildings were demolished so that the castle could once again stand as its own monument. Today, parts of the castle are set up as Naples’ city history museum/Museo Civico, and a number of cultural events are regularly organized here.
Duomo di Napoli is the seat of the archbishop, making Naples Cathedral the most important Roman Catholic church in the city. It goes by several names. Officially, it was consecrated as Mariæ Himmelfartskirke/Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, but it is also known as Sankt Januarius Catedral/Cattedrale di San Gennaro; after the city’s patron saint.
Construction was started by King Charles II at the end of the 13th century and completed under later kings in the 1320s. The construction took place on the foundations of two early Christian churches, and before that pagan temples were located here.
Many styles are represented due to the many centuries of various reconstructions and partial reconstructions. The basic shape of the church is a Latin cross with three naves.
The interior of the cathedral offers frescoes, beautiful altarpieces and various art. Under the church’s altar is Saint Januarius’ crypt, and in a special chapel are kept the saint’s skull and the ampoule with his blood, which becomes liquid on the first Saturday in May and on 19 September. On these two days, the church is particularly well attended.
40 meters below the streets of Naples lies historic Naples. It was there that the city developed over 2,000 years ago. The Greeks began the excavations for the future Naples, and the Romans later took over. Among other things, the stones were used to build city walls and in the years 1588-1615 the citizens of the city used the subsoil for building materials, as imports were illegal at that time.
The result was a labyrinth of passageways that stretches across most of Naples’ current old town. Underground, in Napoli Sotterranea you can see, for example, remains of the site’s Greco-Roman theater, which Emperor Nero visited, and the city’s water supply with aqueducts and cisterns.
The underground rooms and corridors were used as protection during World War II, and after the war, part of the destroyed building material was put down here. After several decades, there was renewed interest in this part of the city’s history, which can now be visited in several places.
In 1590, Prince Francesco de Sangro had this chapel built in what was then the garden of his mansion. In 1742, Raimondo de Sangro, who was Prince of Sansevero, rebuilt the chapel to its present appearance.
The chapel is known for its distinguished sculptures, the most famous of which is Sammartino’s Cristo velato. There are also works by Francesco Celebrano, Antonio Corradini and Francesco Queirolo.
Naples’ archaeological museum is among Italy’s absolute leaders, and this is not least due to the museum’s large Roman collections from the cities of Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabiae, as well as Greek antiquities.
In the museum you can thus see a large amount of classical marble sculptures such as Roman copies of Greek statues by, for example, the sculptors Calamis, Kritios and Nesiotes. Some of the originals have been lost, which makes the works even more interesting. Many statues come from the rich Farnese collection.
There is also an Egyptian section as well as some exquisitely preserved mosaics from the ruins of, among other things, Herculaneum, which, together with other cities, were buried during the eruption of Vesuvius in the year 79. A visit to the museum nicely complements a visit to the actual archaeological excavations in Herculaneum and Pompeii.
The museum was founded in the 1750s by the Spanish king Charles 3, and it is Europe’s oldest archaeological museum. The building has previously been stables for the cavalry as well as the main building for the city’s university.
Capodimonte Castle was the summer palace and hunting castle of the kings of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It was Charles VII who in 1738 decided to build a hunting castle on the Capodimonte hill, but instead let it become a larger castle complex; among other things to store a larger art collection here.
After twenty years of construction, the first part of the castle was opened in 1758, but the facility was not completed until 1840. In the meantime, several people had used the castle. During the French era 1806-1815, the place was the residence of Joseph Bonaparte and later Joachim Murat.
Over the years, many works of art and collections came to the castle, which has been a museum since 1950. Here you can see 18th-century furnishings as well as collections of porcelain and majolica. The so-called Capodimonte porcelain was produced next to the castle from 1743.
At the castle, you can also admire art in the National Gallery/Galleria Nazionale, which has works by, among others, Raphael and El Greco in its collections. The paintings extend from the 13th-17th centuries. There are also classical sculptures from the Farnese collection.
Galleri Umberto I is the name of Naples’ magnificent shopping center that was built 1887-1891 in typical 19th-century style with glass roofs over distinguished shopping streets. The architecture is called stile umbertino and prevailed as a new renaissance in Italian eclecticism under Umberto I.
In the mall, which was named after the king of Italy, there are four streets radiating from the large, central dome. In the buildings there were both shops and cafés, and apartments were arranged on the upper floors.
Basilica di San Lorenzo Maggiore is a church with associated monastic buildings in Naples. The construction of the complex started in the 13th century, when the church belonged to the Franciscan order. The style stands as a good example of Gothic in the kingdom of the time, which has typical Italian features.
The location of the basilica is in the geographical center of historic Greco-Roman Naples. Below the church is the San Lorenzo Archaeological Area/Area Archeologica di San Lorenzo Maggiore, where an ancient Roman market has been excavated over a period of over twenty years.
In the church’s historic monastery buildings, there is also a large archaeological exhibition based on the Greco-Roman city. At the museum, the history of the area around San Lorenzo from classical antiquity to modern times is depicted in an exciting way.
San Paolo Maggiore is a beautiful church, which in its current version was built from the 16th century by the Roman Catholic order of Theatine monks. The order was founded by Gaetano di Thiene and Giovanni Pietro Carafa in 1524, and di Thiene is today buried right here in the church.
On the site where there used to be a temple from the 1st century. Parts of the facade from the old temple stood until an earthquake in 1688. In today’s baroque facade, two columns from the otherwise historic temple have been incorporated.
Work on the church and its decoration continued throughout the 16th and 18th centuries. The beautiful frescoes are by, among others, Massimo Stanzione and Francesco Solimena. The main altar was made by Ferdinando Fuga in the years 1775-1776.
Galleria Principe di Napoli is a shopping center designed by Nicola Breglia and Giovanni De Novellis in 1869 and built 1877-1883 in a contemporary style with cast iron and glass roofs over the shopping streets. In 2007-2008, the galleries were completely renovated and stand today as at the time of construction.
Four streets were originally planned in the gallery, but only three were built because the location of the church Chiesa di Santa Maria di Costantinopoli made the last one impossible. Previously, there had been a granary on the site, which had also been used for, among other things, a prison.
Gesù Nuovo is a Jesuit church that was set up in a residence palace from the 15th century. It was Roberto Sanseverino, who was Prince of Salerno, who built the Palazzo Sanseverino residence in 1470. The mansion was sold in the 1580s to Jesuit monks who had already built a Jesus Church in Naples, and when they built the current one in the period 1584-1681, this became called for the new one.
The architect was Giuseppe Valeriano, and he reused the facade from Sanseverino’s mansion, which with its hewn ashlars is somewhat unconventional for a Baroque church.
In contrast to the facade, the interior of the church is richly decorated in baroque style. The many wall and ceiling paintings are particularly impressive. They were executed by Belisario Corenzio and Paolo de Matteis and depict biblical and saintly depictions. In the church you can also see Francesco Solimena’s painting from 1725 of Seleucus IV Philopator’s expulsion of Heliodorus from the temple in Jerusalem. It originates from an account in the Second Book of Maccabees.
The altar piece will illustrate the revelation that Francisco Xavier received from the Virgin Mary as well as various episodes from his life. Xavier was one of the founders of the Jesuit order, and he was canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV.
In the square in front of the Church of Jesus, you can see one of Naples’ three plague columns, which were erected as works of art as thanks to God for not letting the plague hit the city. The column here was completed in 1750 by, among others, Matteo Bottiglieri, and it contains several biblical motifs.
Teatro San Carlo is the oldest still active opera house in Europe. It was inaugurated on 4 November 1737 with a setting of Domenico Sarro’s Achille in Sciro. With 3,300 seats, it was then the world’s largest opera building.
The theater was designed by the architects Angelo Carasale and Giovanni Antonio Medrano, who among other things used the reigning royal family, the House of Bourbon, colors blue and gold in the decoration.
The San Carlo Theater burned on February 12, 1816, and after a quick reconstruction, it was able to reopen on January 12 of the following year. In 1943 the theater was bombed and reopened the same year after a repair.
Piazza del Plebiscito is one of Naples’ largest squares. It is named after the referendum of October 2, 1860, which brought Naples into the Kingdom of Italy. However, the word Plebiscito comes from the special decisions made by the plebeians in ancient Rome.
The square was conceived by King Joachim Murat of Naples in the early 1800s. Murat was Napoleon’s brother-in-law and built the square as a tribute to the French emperor. You can see some beautiful buildings around the square such as the Royal Palace/Palazzo Reale and Francis of Paola Basilica/Basilica de San Francesco di Paola.
The Basilica de San Francesco di Paola is a church that was built in connection with the construction of the Plebiscite square at the beginning of the 19th century. The church was completed in 1816 and was dedicated to Saint Francis of Paola, who lived in a monastery here in the 16th century.
The church was magnificently laid out with the semi-arched colonnade facing the Plebiscite Square and the 53 meter high central building, which was built with inspiration from the Pantheon in Rome. Six columns and two pillars with Ionic capitals form the portico at the entrance to the circular church space.
Inside, the church space is 34 meters in diameter, and around the center are 34 Corinthian-style columns. The columns measure 11 meters in height. The main altar is a work by Anselm Cangiano from 1641. It originally came from the church Chiesa dei Santi Apostoli and was moved here in 1835.
Palazzo Reale was the central Naples royal palace for the House of Bourbon, which ruled the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in the years 1730-1860. There were also other castles where the kings have their residence; for example in the city of Caserta northeast of Naples.
The castle was originally built in the 17th century, but was partly rebuilt in the following centuries. In the facade there are niches where former Neapolitan regents are lined up. The earliest is Ruggero II of Sicily, who ruled in the 12th century, while the latest is Vittorio Emanuele II, who from 1861 became the first king of united Italy.
The Royal Palace of Naples is today set up as a museum, where among the many rooms and halls you can see the Royal Apartments/Appartamento Reale, the Royal Chapel/Cappella Reale and the Court Theater/It Teatro di Corte. The Royal Gardens/Giardini Reali are also located by the castle.
The Sant Elmo Fort sits and towers over Naples on the ridge of the same name. From Castel Sant’Elmo you can see the almost iconic view of the city and the Bay of Naples with Vesuvius as the big backdrop. There is also a look across the bay to Sorrento and the island of Capri.
A building on the site was first mentioned in 1275, where it is believed to have been a fortified residence. In the 1400s, Sant’Elmo was significantly expanded, but an earthquake in 1456 caused great damage. The current six-pointed fortification was created 1537-1547.
Vesuvius is a so-called stratovolcano, a conical volcano that has been built up over time from many layers of lava and volcanic ash. Vesuvius is famous and infamous for its proximity to the city of Naples and the many urban areas along the Gulf of Naples.
Vesuvius’ caldera formed about 17,000 years ago, and before the eruption in 79 the volcano was a lot bigger than it is today. The large crater, Gran Cono, reaches 1,281 meters and was formed by a collapse in connection with the eruption in 79, and at the same time Vesuvius’ second peak, Monte Somma, with its 1,149 meters, was formed. The fuel in Vesuvius is the magma, the liquid rock created by the African continental plate hitting and bending under the Eurasian one. On that occasion, the rock melts and seeks to reach the earth’s surface at weak points in the continental plates.
Vesuvius has erupted many times. The most famous occurred in the year 79, when the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, among others, were buried. The eruption also changed the course of the river Sarno and shifted the coastline. In the 20th century alone, there were outbreaks in 1906, 1929 and 1944.
Mount Vesuvius is quite close to Naples and can be easily reached by public buses or tour buses that depart from the Ercolano (Scavi) station, for example. You drive up to an altitude of 1,000 metres, and from there it is a roughly 20-minute hike up to the crater rim itself. The path up there is good and wide, and you are rewarded both with a fascinating look into the volcano, where steam rises from the hot underground, and a panoramic view of the entire Bay of Naples.
Pozzuoli is an independent city located as one of the western suburbs of Naples. It was founded as the Greek colony Dikaiarchia (Δικαιαρχία) by people from Samos in 531 BC. In 194 BC it became a Roman colony with the name Puteoli, which means “small springs” in reference to the hot springs in the area. Puteoli grew due to its location by the water, which brought a lot of ship traffic with it.
In the year 37, Puteoli became famous for the Emperor Caligula’s ride across the Bay of Baiae. He had a temporary pontoon bridge built for the purpose of riding across the water. Thereby, an astrologer’s prediction that Caligula had as little chance of becoming emperor as riding across the very bay of Baiae would.
In recent times, the city is known for, among other things, being where the actress Sophia Loren grew up, and for the seismic activity that caused a land uplift of 1.8 meters in the years 1982-1984.
Caserta Palace is a former residence of the Neapolitan Bourbon kings. It was built from 1752 and initiated by King Charles VII, who was later Charles III of Spain. The architect was Luigi Vanvitelli, but neither the king nor the architect came to complete the construction. However, their sons did.
The colossal palace was completed under King Ferdinand IV in 1780. It is one of Europe’s largest constructions from the 18th century and contains 1,200 rooms. Here are, among other things, royal apartments, representation rooms, a library and a theatre. The style is late Italian Baroque, and among the most distinguished rooms are the theater, modeled after Naples’ Teatro San Carlo, and the majestic central staircase.
The ground floor of Caserta Palace is 247×184 meters, and in the hilly terrain north of the castle itself lies the large garden, where fountains and cascades form the central element. Here, among other things, naval battles were staged as entertainment for the children of the royal family.
The choice of the city of Caserta for the construction was related to the fact that it provided protection being some distance from the sea which was sailed by marauding pirates. In addition, the palace was far enough away from Vesuvius to be in danger in the event of an eruption.
Caserta Palace and the associated garden were inspired by other large castles such as Versailles in Paris and Escorial in Spain. The Neapolitan kingdom was significant and culturally flourishing, and so the kings would not shy away from grand castles elsewhere.
Herculaneum was until August 24, AD 79 a flourishing city with about 5,000 inhabitants. That day, the volcano Vesuvius erupted and a 350 °C hot pyroclastic flow quickly reached Herculaneum, which was buried in about 20-30 meters of mud and flowing ash. The all-encompassing substance charred people and animals and covered the buildings of the city.
After the volcanic eruption, Herculaneum lay buried until 1709, when the city was discovered during the excavation of a well. The actual excavations of the city started in 1738, and in addition to buildings, hundreds of prints of people and animals have been found since then, which the ash flow had settled around and solidified with casts as a result. The excavations continue today.
Herculaneum is located in the present-day city of Ercalano, and there is quite a bit to see on a visit to the excavation site. The city and the buildings are divided into sections grouped according to the road divisions east-west and north-south. Many buildings are relatively well preserved with fine wall paintings and mosaics.
A special villa is the so-called Papyrusvilla/Villa dei Papiri, which was a residential house formerly owned by Julius Caesar’s father-in-law, Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus. Its name derives from the 1,785 charred papyrus scrolls found in the villa’s library. The villa was located by the coast at the time with a garden around it and a little away from the other houses in the city, and it is estimated to have been among Herculaneum’s finest. Several sculptures have been found here, and you can see them today at the Archaeological Museum in Naples.
Pompeii was a city that was buried during the eruption of Vesuvius on August 24, AD 79. After the eruption, the city was covered by up to six meters of ash and pumice, and the excavated city stands today almost as a frozen image of life in the Roman Empire for 2,000 years ago. Pompeii was rediscovered in 1599, and the archaeological excavations of the large area are still ongoing.
The main entrance is 100 meters from Pompei station, and in the large area there are many and quite well-preserved buildings; among other things forum, baths, temples, theatres, shops, restaurants and a lot of residential buildings.
The road surfaces are intact in Pompeii, and in many places you can see wheel tracks in the stones; especially between the stepping stones, which acted as pedestrian crossings, where you could avoid stepping in the street rubbish.
The market/Foro was the city’s unifying center, and the streets spread out from here. At the market there was also a temple and the baths of this area, Terme del Foro. Several other and larger baths can be seen elsewhere; e.g. Centralbadene/Terme Centrali.
Pompeii’s central shopping street, where there are also several eateries with preserved mosaics, kitchens and dining rooms, was the Via dell’Abbondanza, which still forms a longitudinal axis through Pompeii. The street can be advantageously followed through the city.
Of other major public facilities, the Great Theatre/Teatro Grande, the Odeon/Odeion and the Amphitheater/Anfiteatro can be mentioned as three of the most important. You can also see beautiful inns and houses with preserved paintings and sculptures, and there are also splendid villas with fine gardens.
A little north-west of the actual excavation area is the Mysterievillaen/Villa dei Misteri, which, despite being buried, has suffered only minor damage. Therefore, you can see some of Pompeii’s best-preserved wall paintings here.
Capri is an island in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the tip of the Sorrentine Peninsula. It was a popular area for tourists and relaxation already in the Roman Empire 2,000 years ago. There is a real Mediterranean atmosphere on Capri with small towns, narrow streets, exotic plants, citrus fruits and unparalleled views.
You arrive by boat at the port of Marina Grande, and from here you can take the funicular up to the central square, the Piazzetta, in the city of Capri. A veritable labyrinth of narrow streets and lanes awaits here, where you can enjoy the colorful tiles on many buildings, green oases and fine views. To the south in the labyrinth you can go to the viewpoint Punta Cannone at the end of the road Via Castello. Here there is a look over the cliffs of the south coast with the Faraglioni cliffs, which are one of Capri’s landmarks.
Another of nature’s attractions is the north coast’s Blue Grotte/Grotta Azzurra, which is an underground cave characterized by the beautiful blue light that reflects so that it almost glows under the sea. Only the blue light escapes through nature’s filter. The cave is about 60 meters long and 25 meters wide. The height is up to 14 metres, but just 1 meter when entering from the sea.
Other sights include a number of distinguished villas, the 14th-century monastery Certosa de San Giacomo (Via Certosa) and the hairpin path Via Krupp, which leads from the monastery grounds down to the south coast port, Marina Piccolo. During a visit, you can also enjoy good food and the area’s specialty drink, the lemon liqueur Limoncello.
The Amalfi Coast is the name of the Sorrentine Peninsula’s beautiful, southern coastline. The name comes from the town of Amalfi, which is one of the pearls of the stretch, while the entire Amalfi Coast covers the trip between Positano in the west and Vietri sul Mare in the east. The most famous towns are Amalfi, Positano, Praiano and Ravello, all situated picturesquely along the rocky coastline, where one unforgettable view replaces the other.
The biggest attraction in the area is the actual enjoyment of the drive along the coast, which is considered to be among the absolute most beautiful in Italy. In addition to that, you can advantageously stop in the towns, which are glued to the steep cliffs. The Amalfi Coast is due to the special cultural landscape listed as World Heritage by UNESCO.
The city of Poseidonia was founded in the 6th century BC. of Greek settlers from the city of Sybaris. The city was named after the sea god Poseidon and changed its name to Paestum in later Roman times. The city was surrounded by a 4.7 kilometer long and 15 meter high wall.
Today you can see well-preserved ruins of three temples from the 500-400s BC. in Doric style. These are two temples of Hera and one temple of Athena. In addition to the temples, there are remains of the Roman forum, which stood on the site of the earlier Greek agora, and the city’s amphitheater.
The oldest Temple of Hera/Tempio di Hera is from around 550 BC. The dedication to Hera, who in Greek mythology is the wife of Zeus and goddess of, among other things, marriages and births, was found in inscriptions, and an altar was found in front of the temple. In the 450s BC the second temple of Hera was erected, and this may also have been dedicated to other than Hera; not least Zeus. The Temple of Athena was built around 500 BC, and over time this has also been used as a Christian church.
Via Morghen 28, Via Poggioreale 18
carrefour.it
Via Scarlatti 86/100
coin.it
Via San Carlo
Via Toledo, Via Chiaia, Via dei Mille, Via San Gregorio Armeno, Via Luca Giordano
Acquario
Stazione Zoologica & Acquario, Villa Comunale
szn.it
Museo del Mare
Via di Pozzuoli 5
museodelmarenapoli.it
Museo Ferroviario Nazionale
Traversa Pietrarsa
ferroviedellostato.it
Città della Scienza, Via Coroglio 104, www.cittadellascienza.it
Napoli’s history began, like many other cities in southern Italy, with Greek colonization in the 9th century BC. The Greeks came to control large areas from present-day Naples to Sicily. Precisely Neapolis, later Naples, was one of the leading cities in this colony; Magna Graecia.
The first Greeks came from Rhodes and established the settlement Parthenope on the island of Megaride, which is close to the modern center of Naples. In the 5th century BC conquered Greek settlers from the neighboring town of Cumae area of the Gulf of Naples and founded Neápolis, meaning the new city. Parthenope at the same time changed its name to Palaípolis; the old Town.
The following centuries, the two cities grew together and were now both fortified with walls and had various structures such as a theater and the smaller odeon, as well as a temple for the twin gods Castor and Pollux.
In the 300s BC conquered the Rome area and thus Neapolis, which quickly became popular with the Romans for the mild climate and Greek culture, which served as a source of inspiration in the Roman Empire.
In 79, Roman Naples became a spectator of one of the most famous volcanic eruptions of recent times; here almost all parts of Vesuvius exploded and buried several of the area’s bustling cities such as Pompeii.
In Naples, the development continued, and many Romans built prestigious villas along the coasts in Pozzuoli, among others. In one of the villas, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire came into exile, which was Romulus Augustulus in the year 476.
In 568, the Germanic longobards began their conquest in what was to become the Kingdom of Lombardy. Surrounded by the new empire, Naples maintained its loyalty to the Byzantine Empire along with Rome, among others. At that time, the city had about 30,000 inhabitants.
Naples was subject to the Byzantine emperor, represented in Italy by the exarch of Ravenna. In 618, Naples rebelled against the exarch, thereby the status of the city itself as subject to a remote power.
In 638, the Exarch established the Duchy of Naples to counter the rebellion of the city, and 23 years later a local ruler came to head the city and the area; duke Basilio in 661. However, the duke was still appointed with the approval of the empire, but in 840 duke Sergius I made the title and position an inheritance, and thus Naples had effectively become independent.
At that time, the city had a certain military significance, and it was not a prominent commercial city like many others in the region. In the following centuries, Naples lost power, and in 1027 Duke Sergius IV suffered defeat to Pandulf IV of Capua. With the help of the Norman Rainulf Drengot, Sergius IV was reinstated as a duke in 1029, and as a thanks, Sergius donated the area Aversa, north of Naples, to Rainulf, thus becoming Aversa’s Count from 1030. In 1037, Rainulf defeated the Byzantines in the area, and Naples formally still a Byzantine vassal, Aversa gained independence the following year.
The Normans from the north were the next to come to the area, and their later would prove to put an end to Napoli’s independence.
In the 11th century, Naples remained a duchy, but the Normans had overcome the longobards in the region and with Roger II’s establishment of the Kingdom of Sicily in 1130 a new power had emerged.
In 1137 Naples Sergius VII had to surrender, and Naples became a vassal in Sicily with little power and influence for the city itself. Sergius VII became Napoli’s last duke. During this time, approximately 30,000 people continued to live here, and the Normans had several castles and fortresses erected; eg Castel Capuano and Castel dell’Ovo.
The German-Roman emperor, Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, was also king of Sicily, and he regarded Naples as the intellectual center of the kingdom when in 1224 he founded a university here. For centuries, the institution remained the leading educational institution in the southern part of present-day Italy.
After the defeat of Frederick II’s son, Manfred, Pope Clement IV in 1266 handed over the power of the Kingdom of Sicily to Karl of Anjou, who moved the capital from Palermo to Naples. Karl built the new castle, Castel Nuovo, as a residence, and during his reign the church building also flourished. Naples Cathedral, Santa Chiara, San Lorenzo Maggiore and Santa Maria Donna Regina thus originate from this period, which also offered many noble mansions in the growing district around Castel Nuovo.
After the Sicilian Vespers revolt in 1282, the Kingdom of Sicily was split into two. The Spanish, Aragonese kings then ruled the island of Sicily itself, while the French Angonian kings ruled the mainland. Both of them officially continued to call themselves the Kingdom of Sicily, but the mainland part was also called the Kingdom of Naples.
With Naples as the center of a large area, the city developed and attracted, among others, merchants from Pisa and Genoa, bankers from Tuscany and a number of artists.
The Spanish King Alfonso V defeated the last Anglo-King in 1442 and took over the reign as Alfonso I. It created a resurgence on the back of increased trade in the Iberian Peninsula. Artistically, the city also became the center of the Italian Renaissance.
In the 1490s there were power struggles and disputes between the former Anglo-royal family claiming the Kingdom of Naples and the sitting rulers. The Angevins gained a brief transition of supremacy under Charles VIII, but it ended up with the Spanish king of Aragon taking over Naples.
From 1501 the two kingdoms were united, and there were deputy kings and ruled the Kingdom of Naples. The first three years under French rule, and in 1504 the first Spanish viceroy was deployed, and the form of government with the viceroys came to last until the 18th century with a brief exception in 1647.
One of the important viceroys was Pedro Álvarez de Toledo, who paved roads during the reign of 1532-1552, built new roadways, renovated and erected new buildings, and established new defenses that made Naples one of the most fortified in Spanish realm.
The culture flourished in Naples through the 16th-16th centuries, where philosophers, writers and artists flocked to the city as few other places in Europe. During that period, Naples grew from 100,000 to 300,000 inhabitants and was therefore one of Europe’s largest cities.
In 1647, Naples revolted against the Spanish government and established the Republic of Naples. They also asked France for help in the fight against the Spaniards, but several landfall attempts failed. The Republic survived only half a year, and then the Viceroys returned. In 1656, the population was hit by a plague epidemic, which killed about half of its inhabitants, marking the beginning of the city’s impending recession.
After the Spanish War of Succession in the early 1700s, with the Peace of Rastatt in 1714, it was decided to grant the Kingdom of Naples to the German-Roman Emperor Charles VI, who became king for the following twenty years. During the Polish Succession War, Spanish Charles III conquered Naples in 1734, and with the Peace in Vienna in 1738, Naples was again recognized as an independent kingdom with Karl as king. Karl was then Duke of Parma and became Spanish King from 1759. With that status, he handed over the throne in Naples to his eight-year-old son, Ferdinand, who initially reigned as Ferdinand IV for forty years.
Ferdinand was from the Bourbon house and therefore in natural opposition to Napoleon. In 1799, French troops forced the king to flee to Sicily, and in Naples and southern Italy the Parthenopean Republic was formed. The life of the republic was short lived when peasants launched a riot, and after less than five months, Ferdinand was back on the throne of Naples. His reign now lasted seven years.
In 1805, Ferdinand IV supported the countries of the Third Coalition; Austria, Russia and Portugal, who fought against Napoleon’s France. In March 1806, French troops over Neapolitan won the Battle of Campo Tenese, and then Napoleon deployed his brother, Joseph Bonaparte, as new king of Naples. Napoleon’s brother-in-law, Joachim Murat, became king in 1808 when Joseph became Spanish king, and meanwhile Ferdinand IV defended himself with British aid from Sicily. Joachim Murat, among others, introduced a municipal administration with a mayor post in Naples.
In 1815, the Neapolitan War between Austria and Joachim Murat was fought. The battles fell short and the Austrians won at the Battle of Tolentino. Murat had to flee, and for the third time Ferdinand IV became king of Naples; from 1816 as Ferdinand I of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, which emerged when the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily were officially united.
In the 19th century industrialization, Naples became Italy’s first city by rail. The line between Naples and Portici opened in 1839. Despite progress, however, the distance between court and bourgeoisie grew ever larger, and in 1860-1861 time as an independent kingdom was over. Italian national hero Giuseppe Garibaldi made his entry into the city by train and arrived at the place that bears his name today. At that time, about 450,000 people lived in Naples.
The history of modern Naples is in present-day Italy. During World War II, the city became known as the first to rebel against the German troops. In the days of September 28-1. October 1943, the city overcame the adversary and the British-American troops to help arrived in a city that had already prevailed.
Throughout the 20th century there were several eruptions in the volcano Vesuvius, which lies as a silhouette behind Naples. In 1906 there was an outbreak, and in 1944 a larger one of sorts occurred, challenging the area, which, like much of Europe, was affected by World War II.
After World War II, Naples established itself with the status of the region’s largest city as an extensive transport center with ferry and freight services to other Italian cities, across the Mediterranean and as a major cruise port.
Over the past decades, much has been invested in Naples. New roads have been established and subway construction has taken place. Old buildings are being renovated and the modern business center, Centro Direzionale, has been shot in the neighborhood just east of the main train station.
Naples, Italy[/caption]
Overview of Naples Napoli
Naples or Napoli is in a way the southern Italian capital and it is a former residential city which greets visitors with an abundance of impressive sights in a blend with the city’s almost chaotic charm; whether it is culture, nature or gastronomy you are looking for. Naples simply has it all and is a wonderful and unforgettable place to be.
In the old town, the streets are narrow with beautiful small squares in between the many churches, statues and the countless beautiful buildings that emit patina and Italian charm – and extra much as church and dining hours approach. It’s just about being curious and enjoying the atmosphere.
About the Whitehorse travel guide
Contents: Tours in the city + tours in the surrounding area
Published: Released soon
Author: Stig Albeck
Publisher: Vamados.com
Language: English
About the travel guide
The Whitehorse travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the Canadian city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.
Whitehorse is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.
Read more about Whitehorse and Canada
Canada Travel Guide: https://vamados.com/canada
City tourism: https://visitwhite-horse.ca
Main Page: https://www.vamados.com/
Buy the travel guide
Click the “Add to Cart” button to purchase the travel guide. After that you will come to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. Upon payment of the travel guide, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the travel guide immediately or use the download link in the email later.
Use the travel guide
When you buy the travel guide to Whitehorse you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.
Basilica di San Lorenzo Maggiore is a church with associated monastic buildings in Naples. The construction of the complex started in the 13th century, when the church belonged to the Franciscan order. The style stands as a good example of Gothic in the kingdom of the time, which has typical Italian features.
The location of the basilica is in the geographical center of historic Greco-Roman Naples. Below the church is the San Lorenzo Archaeological Area/Area Archeologica di San Lorenzo Maggiore, where an ancient Roman market has been excavated over a period of over twenty years.
In the church’s historic monastery buildings, there is also a large archaeological exhibition based on the Greco-Roman city. At the museum, the history of the area around San Lorenzo from classical antiquity to modern times is depicted in an exciting way.
San Paolo Maggiore is a beautiful church, which in its current version was built from the 16th century by the Roman Catholic order of Theatine monks. The order was founded by Gaetano di Thiene and Giovanni Pietro Carafa in 1524, and di Thiene is today buried right here in the church.
On the site where there used to be a temple from the 1st century. Parts of the facade from the old temple stood until an earthquake in 1688. In today’s baroque facade, two columns from the otherwise historic temple have been incorporated.
Work on the church and its decoration continued throughout the 16th and 18th centuries. The beautiful frescoes are by, among others, Massimo Stanzione and Francesco Solimena. The main altar was made by Ferdinando Fuga in the years 1775-1776.
Galleria Principe di Napoli is a shopping center designed by Nicola Breglia and Giovanni De Novellis in 1869 and built 1877-1883 in a contemporary style with cast iron and glass roofs over the shopping streets. In 2007-2008, the galleries were completely renovated and stand today as at the time of construction.
Four streets were originally planned in the gallery, but only three were built because the location of the church Chiesa di Santa Maria di Costantinopoli made the last one impossible. Previously, there had been a granary on the site, which had also been used for, among other things, a prison.
Gesù Nuovo is a Jesuit church that was set up in a residence palace from the 15th century. It was Roberto Sanseverino, who was Prince of Salerno, who built the Palazzo Sanseverino residence in 1470. The mansion was sold in the 1580s to Jesuit monks who had already built a Jesus Church in Naples, and when they built the current one in the period 1584-1681, this became called for the new one.
The architect was Giuseppe Valeriano, and he reused the facade from Sanseverino’s mansion, which with its hewn ashlars is somewhat unconventional for a Baroque church.
In contrast to the facade, the interior of the church is richly decorated in baroque style. The many wall and ceiling paintings are particularly impressive. They were executed by Belisario Corenzio and Paolo de Matteis and depict biblical and saintly depictions. In the church you can also see Francesco Solimena’s painting from 1725 of Seleucus IV Philopator’s expulsion of Heliodorus from the temple in Jerusalem. It originates from an account in the Second Book of Maccabees.
The altar piece will illustrate the revelation that Francisco Xavier received from the Virgin Mary as well as various episodes from his life. Xavier was one of the founders of the Jesuit order, and he was canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV.
In the square in front of the Church of Jesus, you can see one of Naples’ three plague columns, which were erected as works of art as thanks to God for not letting the plague hit the city. The column here was completed in 1750 by, among others, Matteo Bottiglieri, and it contains several biblical motifs.
Teatro San Carlo is the oldest still active opera house in Europe. It was inaugurated on 4 November 1737 with a setting of Domenico Sarro’s Achille in Sciro. With 3,300 seats, it was then the world’s largest opera building.
The theater was designed by the architects Angelo Carasale and Giovanni Antonio Medrano, who among other things used the reigning royal family, the House of Bourbon, colors blue and gold in the decoration.
The San Carlo Theater burned on February 12, 1816, and after a quick reconstruction, it was able to reopen on January 12 of the following year. In 1943 the theater was bombed and reopened the same year after a repair.
Piazza del Plebiscito is one of Naples’ largest squares. It is named after the referendum of October 2, 1860, which brought Naples into the Kingdom of Italy. However, the word Plebiscito comes from the special decisions made by the plebeians in ancient Rome.
The square was conceived by King Joachim Murat of Naples in the early 1800s. Murat was Napoleon’s brother-in-law and built the square as a tribute to the French emperor. You can see some beautiful buildings around the square such as the Royal Palace/Palazzo Reale and Francis of Paola Basilica/Basilica de San Francesco di Paola.
The Basilica de San Francesco di Paola is a church that was built in connection with the construction of the Plebiscite square at the beginning of the 19th century. The church was completed in 1816 and was dedicated to Saint Francis of Paola, who lived in a monastery here in the 16th century.
The church was magnificently laid out with the semi-arched colonnade facing the Plebiscite Square and the 53 meter high central building, which was built with inspiration from the Pantheon in Rome. Six columns and two pillars with Ionic capitals form the portico at the entrance to the circular church space.
Inside, the church space is 34 meters in diameter, and around the center are 34 Corinthian-style columns. The columns measure 11 meters in height. The main altar is a work by Anselm Cangiano from 1641. It originally came from the church Chiesa dei Santi Apostoli and was moved here in 1835.
Palazzo Reale was the central Naples royal palace for the House of Bourbon, which ruled the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in the years 1730-1860. There were also other castles where the kings have their residence; for example in the city of Caserta northeast of Naples.
The castle was originally built in the 17th century, but was partly rebuilt in the following centuries. In the facade there are niches where former Neapolitan regents are lined up. The earliest is Ruggero II of Sicily, who ruled in the 12th century, while the latest is Vittorio Emanuele II, who from 1861 became the first king of united Italy.
The Royal Palace of Naples is today set up as a museum, where among the many rooms and halls you can see the Royal Apartments/Appartamento Reale, the Royal Chapel/Cappella Reale and the Court Theater/It Teatro di Corte. The Royal Gardens/Giardini Reali are also located by the castle.
The Sant Elmo Fort sits and towers over Naples on the ridge of the same name. From Castel Sant’Elmo you can see the almost iconic view of the city and the Bay of Naples with Vesuvius as the big backdrop. There is also a look across the bay to Sorrento and the island of Capri.
A building on the site was first mentioned in 1275, where it is believed to have been a fortified residence. In the 1400s, Sant’Elmo was significantly expanded, but an earthquake in 1456 caused great damage. The current six-pointed fortification was created 1537-1547.
Similar to Naples Travel Guide
