Naples Off The Beaten Path Tips by egicom05 Top 5 Page for this destination

Neapolis Station – Archaeological Yards

If you are looking for a suggestive way through hundreds of years of history, you can find it in a new part of National Archaeological Museum. This section of the museum is placed in a wide show-room (free entrance) at the exit “Via Foria” within the Tube “Museo” station (Linea 1).
We try to be your virtual guide.
During the excavations for the new Metro Station, parts of the old city were discovered. They date back to the Neolithic Age until the Middle Age.
A prehistoric discovery is a ploughed field. At the entrance of the museum there is a reconstruction of the original field. This archaeological find has survived years thanks to the muddiness of the soil.
Going forward trough the centuries, you find the Greek city. During the excavation, several fragments of vases of the VII and VI b.C. have been found. They are now placed inside a big and suggestive casket in the centre of the show-room. These vases testify the presence of handcraft workshop along the coast. These discoveries brought to light the line of the ancient harbour, the centre of the Mediterranean trade.
Roman elements are three boats that were used for trading and fishing, ruins of a temple that was used for the Isolympic Games (founded by Augustus), marble slabs that show the names of winners and a wonderful statue of the flying Goddess of Victory (the “Nike”).
The three boats are in an excellent state of preservation. After restoration, one of them will be exposed in a casket in the new metro-station. Several video displays are placed in the show-room to show the excavation phases and to explain the different techniques which have been used to preserve the findings.
A decorative fountain, which date back to the XIII a.C., has been found in a garden. On this fountain there is a design of a ship in procession towards the city, which is depicted as a bastion with towers. A plastic model is shown in the museum.
[Egicom05 – Dreaming Naples]

Other Contact: Open 9 am-7.30 pm (no tuesday)

Rione Terra - Pozzuoli

Dated back to the II century b.C., Rione Terra was opened one year ago but it’s still not well known. The excavations brought out to light new parts of the old Puteoli Acropolis (33 meters above the sea). Here you can take a walk through the streets of the old Metropolis, which was, during Roman Age, the only trading centre of Western Mediterranean sea. Rione Terra is an exceptional civilization cradle of all ages, englobed in the foundations of the XV century a.C., rebuilt after several earthquakes.
The sensation you feel when you enter in the old town walls is to live again the everyday life of 2000 years ago.
The city planning is the same of Roman age with the two main road axes (Cardi and Decumani). Walking through these streets you can find small ancient shops and above them you can see where once there were the houses of the shops’ owners. Going down a spiral stairway you’ll find yourself in the basements where you can see the shops’ storage once used to keep the wheat. Also, you’ll find some small rooms with stone beds which at the beginning were used as jails and later as gladiators’ shelters. In one of the rooms you can see some gladiators paintings and a verse of a Catullo’s poem that makes wonder this place of a brothel. Walking in these basements you feel to be in a maze. On the same level, there is a private altar, with wonderful mosaics, where were celebrated animal sacrifices.
To visit Rione Terra you walk on bridges totally realized in glass to make the areas below visible. To visit Rione Terra we suggest to wear a pullover or a jacket as for the fresh and humid temperature inside. We also suggest to reserve a conducted tour to recreate the atmosphere that the place excites.
ADDRESS: Largo Sedile di Porto, Pozzuoli (Napoli); DIRECTIONS: By Tube: line 2, By car: “Tangenziale di Napoli” exit Pozzuoli – Via Campana
OPENING HOURS
Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; the box-office closes at 6.30.
TICKET: € 3,00. Included in “Campania Artecard”
[Egicom05 - by Dreaming Naples]

Other Contact: from abroad: +39.06.39967050

Phone: from Italy 848.800288

Website: http://www.ulixes.it ; www.pierreci.it

The legend of Gesù Nuovo palace

The Gesù Nuovo church is surrounded by a legend connected with the diamond carved stones of lava (piperno stones) used to cover the front side. These stones were worked by "Maestri Pipernieri" (piperno workers masters) a secret guild, that handed on the art of carving since the ancient romans carvers. On every stone of the church, each maestro “piperniere” engraved a sign (those signs can even be seen today). The meaning of these signs is still unknown but some experienced professor in ancient alchemy found a strong likeness with esoteric symbol. According to the legend, every inhabitant of the buildng (that was built in 1470 as a private palace of Sanseverino prince, and only in 1584 became a church ) is destined to be driven out. The first owner, Antonello Sanseverino, was obliged to leave the palace by the aragona's ambassador; the second, Ferrante Sanseverino was driven out by the king Filippo II in 1580. Filippo II sold the building to Gesuiti priests, but in 1767 they were driven out and the church was presented to the order of Francescani monks. In 1821 the Francescani had to go away and let the Gesuiti go back in. Neapolitans are waiting for a new change of owner...

Pozzuoli - Seafaring Village

Placed in the gulf of Pozzuoli (north of Naples), this village is typical for its alleys that give it the typical configuration of harbour and, above all, for the lights of the lampares (nightly lamps used for capturing tattleres and polyps), set on the boats of the fishermen.
The “village” is a charmant match between the port - where are rided at anchor ferries and hydrofoils which get to the islands of Ischia and Procida - and the refuge, situated near the "dock", where private boats are moored and also where fishermen mend their nets and prepare the necessary ones for the fishing.
The fished is then cleverly cooked by the nearby restaurateurs: a perfect binomial between the fruit of the job and the pleasure of the table. The gulf of Pozzuoli is famous for the preparation of typical dishes of sea: spaghetti with local clams; soup of clams and mussels; fried seaweeds; salads of polyps and so many other, that exhale in the alleys their marvellous perfume of sea; Everything is accompanied with typical local wines like Falanghina and Piedirosso. This last is so called because its color remembers legs of the pigeons: in Neapolitan dialect, it is called "pere’ ‘e palummo" (=legs of pigeon).
To the folklore of the seafaring village is tied up the Feast of the Yard Sea, on August 15th, the same day of Virgin Mary’s feast: this occasion melts sacred rituals, as the procession, with other profane ones, as the conquest of the yard, a sort of greasy pole soaped that sticks out on the sea.
Fishermen involve the tourists to the discovery of the village through nice activities of collective fishing on board of the typical boats (“chianchiole” and “paranze”). In some special occasions (and during the month of May) historical center, turns into a banquet where typical products can be tasted.
[Egicom05 - by Amaltea]
Highways: Tangenziale - exit Pozzuoli and follow indications to city center
Railroad: Subway Garibaldi square-Pozzuoli. Stop at Pozzuoli Or Cumana Montesanto–Pozzuoli

St. Gregorio Armeno - The church

Placed in one of the most fascinating street of Naples, the Saint Gregorio Armeno’s church is one of the most meaningful religious building of the city distinguished by the beautiful and prevailing bell tower dated 1716. The church foundation dates from the 8Th century but the building was rebuilded in 1580. The only one nave inside is rich in gold decoration, the wooden carved ceiling and painted by Teodoro d’Errico takes all the nave and the choir’s nun.
There is a Luca Giordano’s fresco paints that represent the nuns arrive in city with Saint Gregorio Armeno‘s relics and then the high altar with precious inlay hard stones. In the last chapel are kept the Saint Patricia relics, outside there is the entry to the cloister. It dates from the middle 16th century when the Trento’s council imposed new monastic life rules. There are two origins mind: the first one declares the convent foundation was by Saint Elena in Costantino’s age, the second one declares that it was founded by greek and armenian nuns which persecuted, took refuge in Italy and carried the S. Gregorio Armeno body. The nuns which followed the Saint Basilio’s rules had to accept the S.Benedetto rule or rather the thought “ora et labora” and became benedectines. The convent was formed by a lot of houses: each nun bought one house from the monastery that had many rooms with kitchen, cellar and other comforts. Settled the council end in 1563 was imposed the seclusion and the common life, the nuns changed the dresses from white to dark. In 1572 was started the building rely on Della Monica architect that finished it in 1577. The cloister can be reached by a long and easy 33 marble stairs.
In 1864 the S. Patricia relics were moved in the Sain Gregorio monastery, wax covered, are preserved in a gold and silver urn, adorned by gems, in the lateral chapel of the beautiful monastery church. Saint Patricia is Naples compatron .
[Egicom05 by Campania Mia]

Vergini Quarter: in the hearth of the old town

Quartiere Vergini-Sanita' is an alternative tour itinerary in Napoli, because its streets, its lanes aren't characterized by elegance and notoriety of the other neapolitan quarters, but they hold the true folk life, made up by ancient folklore, religious traditions and everyday life. The access street to the quarter is through the market-street of Vergini, near Cavour square. Because this area was out of the urban city, it was used esclusively like cemetery place until XVIII century. During the XVI century, the expansion of the building-trade increased and in 1.600 were realized big charitable, religious and conventual complexes like convents of Santa Maria della Sanita', and Santa Maria dei Miracoli. During the 700 were built numerous private and important buildings like: Spagnolo Palace and Sanfelice Palace. At the end of the century was built the Sanita' Bridge to connects Royal Palace with Capodimonte Palace that was isolated and stepped over the quarter. During the 900 with the expansion of the middle-class city to the coastal areas, this zone was left to the poor classes and to a progressive deterioration.

See also votive aedicule
[by Egicom05 - Street of Naples]

Sanita' Quarter: the town door of St. Gennaro

It was the only northern access to the urban city until 500. This Door was called in this way bacause led to the catacomb where S. Gennaro, who was the city Patron Saint, was buried. On the door you can look a fresco of XVII century realized by Mattia Preti, it is an ex-voto after the terrible plaguae of the 1656. From here you have to go in Fuori Porta S. Gennaro Street, at the end of this you are in Vergini Street.
[by Egicom05 - Street of Naples]

ADDRESS
Porta S. Gennaro Street
DIRECTIONS
By car: take the motorway Tangenziale and exit at Capodimonte.
By metro: Cavour Square stop. From here you have only to cross the road.

Sanita' Quarter - The spanish house

The building, wanted by Marquis Nicola Moscati was built in the 1738 by Ferdinando Sanfelice who was a famous architect. It’s characterized by the original and scenographic internal staircase called as “hawk wings”, or “opened” or “ridable” because of the strange habit of the Spanish Chevalier Attienza, who was the second Palace’s owner, to go upstairs on his horse. The staircase splits two courtyards in succession. The internals are richly decorated with stuccos in Rococo style. Above the access doors to the apartments there are stucco decorations with bust-portrait medallions in the middle. Recently renovated, the Palace houses today a cultural foundation, the “Guarattelle” institute that is a place of theatre’s production. On the top floor will be located the Totò museum who was born in the quarter (Totò was a famous italian actor borned in Naples).
[by Egicom05 - Street of Naples]

ADDRESS
Via Vergini, 19
DIRECTIONS
By car: take the motorway Tangenziale and exit at Capodimonte.
By metro: Cavour square stop. Pass through the market-street of Vergini and go straight, the buildong is on the left side of the street.

Sanita' Quarter - Vergini Street

The name of this street is connected with the ancient presence of Greek families, among them the phratry of Eunostidi who were devoted to chastity and virginity and for this reason the Neapolitan called the street “of Vergini”. The double bifurcation, at uphill and at downhill, of this street give it the shape of two “Y” symmetrical placed. The shape has been modelled by the natural
phenomenon of the “Vergini lava” because of mud, rubbles and water fall, that during the floods covered up everything. In the past years many buildings were destroyed, especially religious, rebuilt at an upper level like: S. Maria of Vergini and S. Maria Succurre Miseris churches. Along this street there are other two churches: Padri Missionari Vincenziani Convent and S. Maria of Misericordiella.
[by Egicom05 - Street of Naples]

ADDRESS
Via Vergini.
DIRECTIONS
By car: take the motorway Tangenziale and exit at Capodimonte.
By metro: Cavour Square stop. From here, after two minutes of walk, on the right side there is the access market- street to Vergini.