The Catacombs of San Gennaro, located in Naples, Italy, are subterranean sites used for Christian burials and religious activities during the paleo-Christian era. These catacombs were carved into tuff, a porous stone, and are situated in the northern part of Naples, on the slope leading up to Capodimonte. They consist of two levels known as San Gennaro Superiore and San Gennaro Inferiore. These catacombs are situated beneath the Rione Sanità neighborhood of Naples, which is sometimes referred to as the "Valley of the Dead." The site is now easily recognizable due to the presence of the large church of Madre del Buon Consiglio.

The tombs found in these catacombs come in various forms, including loculi, arcosoli, pits dug into the ground, and, less commonly, sarcophagi made of tuff or reused marble and stone from older graves. Loculi are simple, vertically aligned burial sites and represent the most basic style of burial discovered in the catacombs. However, they do not necessarily indicate the status of the deceased. On the other hand, arcosoli, designed for family burial areas, are incorporated into the walls of the galleries and cubicles and exhibit a more sophisticated design compared to loculi. Some of these arcosoli are adorned with mosaics or frescoes, and burials may be stacked horizontally. This type of burial is also found in Sicilian catacombs and is sometimes referred to as a "Siracusa" burial, commonly found in Greek catacombs. Occasionally, child burials are located in the lower part of the lunette, showcasing the efficient use of space in the catacombs.

The catacombs have yielded approximately 200 oil lamps dating from late antiquity to the Middle Ages. Among these lamps, 54 are of the African red slip variety. A comprehensive study of all the lamps will eventually provide insights into trade routes during the historical period, as well as the demographics of people who used the catacombs for burial and religious rituals. The oldest oil lamps discovered in these catacombs date back to the latter half of the third century and were produced in Naples itself.

The Madre del Buon Consiglio dedicated to Saint Mary of Good Counsel is a large church located below the Capodimonte Palace. It is a recent 20th century construction that was consecrated in 1960.

The Church of Madre del Buon Consiglio was built as a result of two miracles. Maria di Gesù Landi, a young girl from Naples who had great faith in Our lady of Good Counsel painted a picture of the Saint that resulted in the end of a cholera epidemic in 1884. The same painting appeared miraculously in 1906 and cleared the ash clouds of the Vesuvius after an eruption. In gratitude to the Saint for the two miracles a church designed by architect, Vincenzo Vecchio, was built between 1920 and 1940. The church has become legendary because the head of the Madonna on the top of the church fell as a result of the earthquake of 1980 but remained miraculously intact.

The exterior of the Church of Madre del Buon Consiglio resembles the Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Many relics and works of art from damaged and abandoned houses of worship in and around Naples were brought and installed in the interiors. Three former Cardinal Archbishops of Naples are buried here and it has become an important place of pilgrimage in honor of local girl, Maria di Gesù Landi. There is also an art gallery with paintings dating back to the 16th century and sculptures depicting the apostles by Michelangelo Naccherino.

Naples Cathedral is also known as The Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary. The church is commonly called Cattedrale di San Gennaro in honor of Saint Januarius.

The construction of the cathedral began in the 13th century and was finally completed in the 14th century. The impressive Gothic cathedral was built on the ruins of previous churches' excavations. Over the years, Greek and Roman artifacts have been found underneath the cathedral.

The neo-Gothic facade wasn't completed until 1905. The interior features a gilded coffered ceiling. Artist Luca Giordano completed the baroque sections of the nave and transept.

Priest and architect Francesco Grimaldi designed the Chapel of the Treasury. Several renowned artists worked on the chapel, which was completed in 1646. Jusepe de Ribera created the stunning Saint Gennaro Escaping the Furnace Unscathed canvas. Giovanni Lanfranco created the magnificent dome fresco. Behind the altar, Saint Januarius's skull and two vials of blood are held in a silver strongbox.

The next chapel contains Saint Januarius's bones in an urn. More of the saint's remains are housed below the altar in the Cappella Carafa chapel.

Visitors will be impressed by the Basilica di Santa Restituta, originally built in the 4th century and renovated in the 17th century. This ancient church holds Europe's oldest baptistry, the Battistero di San Giovanni in Fonte. The baptistry is decorated with 4th-century mosaics.

A vial of blood belonging to revered Saint Januarius is brought out three times a year, and the dried blood usually liquefies. Legend says that when the blood doesn't liquefy, disaster will come to Naples.

Why You Should Visit:

This stunning medieval cathedral holds the miraculous blood of Saint Januarius, priceless artworks, and an early Christian basilica dating to the 4th century. It's a beautiful place to view Italian art and architecture and appreciate Naples' religious culture.

Tips:

The church is closed in the afternoon. Visit between 8:00 am and 12:30 pm, or 4:30 pm and 7:00 pm. The main cathedral is free to enter, but the baptistery charges a small fee.

The Excavations of San Lorenzo Maggiore show a complete Roman forum and earlier Greek Agora. They are located under the church of San Lorenzo Maggiore. The site was opened to the public after 25 years of painstaking work by archeologists.

The excavations of San Lorenzo Maggiore have revealed a wealth of details about the city of Naples in classical times. The site of Piazza San Gaetano near the church was once a Greek Agora or marketplace. Later, it became a Forum or Roman marketplace. Excavations have also revealed the great hall and three naves of a sixth century paleo-Christian church. Under the Sala Capitolare of the San Lorenzo Maggiore church are the medieval city halls. The excavated area has been opened to the public since 1992.

The excavations of San Lorenzo Maggiore are the only complete excavations around Naples. They show life in the city through the ages. Only half of the original Roman forum has been excavated and visitors can view it by entering the marked gate near the entrance of the church. One can see a whole ancient street from the 4th century BC complete with workshops, laundries and the public treasury. Most of the objects from the archeological finds are at a nearby museum, housed in a converted four story Palazzo.

An ancient subterranean network lies beneath the city of Naples. Tunnels and caves have been carved from the volcanic rock over the last two and a half thousand years. The Greeks built the 280 mile long network in the fourth century BC to form Neapolis or New City.

The Romans then used the underground area to build aqueducts for water.

Today, visitors can explore this underground network exiting some 120 feet below Naples. Visitors descend a long stairway to view the impressive infrastructure. Naples Underground includes cisterns, catacombs, caverns, roadways, and rail tunnels.

One of the most impressive sights is the Greco-Roman theatre of Neapolis. Roman Emperor Nero had a private dressing room here.

During WWII, the underground was used as an air-raid shelter. Visitors can still see weapons and tanks left over from WWII.

The first Hypogeum Gardens are located in the underground. This experimental garden attempts to grow plants away from light and pollution.

Why You Should Visit:

Naples Underground provides a fascinating and unusual look at Naples' extensive history.

Tips:

Some tunnels are narrow and require a candle or flashlight. If you feel claustrophobic, skip these tunnels.

The Santa Chiara Complex is home to several religious buildings, including the Church of Santa Chiara, an archeological museum, tombs, and a monastery.

The complex was built by Queen Sancha of Majorca and King Robert of Naples in 1310. King Robert is buried in the complex.

The Church of Santa Chiara was originally built in Provençal-Gothic style; it was updated to the Baroque style in the 18th century. It was restored again after being damaged during World War II.

The west facade of the church has a central rose window but is otherwise plain. The interior is the largest in Naples, with ten chapels. The chapels have superb Gothic monuments.

The complex was built to hold the royal Anjou tombs. Joan I was buried here in 1382.

The church's cloisters are stunning. Seventy-two columns line the garden walkways. A series of benches connect these columns. The columns and benches are decorated with 18th century hand-painted Majorca tiles. Each tile is unique, and together the tiles show various scenes. Elaborate vines and flowers climb the pillars. Scenes show rural life and fishermen with their Mediterranean catch.

The cloister's porticoes have hand-painted 17th-century frescoes decorating the ceilings.

The gardens are filled with citrus and lavender trees. Visitors will also find a fountain in the middle of a Middle Age friar's refectory.

The museum features the ruins of a first-century Roman spa and sauna. Visitors will also find various ecclesiastical artifacts and historical displays in the museum.

Why You Should Visit:

This complex shows the dedication of King Robert the Wise and Queen Sancha to their saints, Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Chiara. The beautiful cloisters are the biggest draw but don't miss the impressive church and well-preserved Roman ruins.

Tips:

The Cloisters get busier throughout the day. Arrive early and walk through the cloisters first.

The New Castle is not new, it is a large medieval castle first built in 1279. Its scenic location and imposing size make the castle one of the main architectural landmarks of the city. It was a royal seat for kings of Naples, Aragon and Spain until 1815.

Commissioned by Charles I of Anjou and built between 1279-82 as the royal residence after the capital of the Sicily Kingdom shifted from Palermo to Naples, it became the venue for all important events during the rule of the Angevin dynasty. The Spanish Aragon dynasty that ruled Naples after the Angevins improved the structure and used it both as a royal residence and a military fortress. The marble entrance arch was created by sculptors from Catalonia in Spain to celebrate the beginning of the Aragonese rule of Naples.

The New Castle has housed the Neapolitan Society of National History since 1875 and the Civic Museum that contains works of art from churches around Naples. It is open for public viewing and managed by the Naples Ministry of Culture. Among the things to see are a display of weapons in the armory hall and the Palatine or Saint Barbara chapel located within the castle. Cultural events and exhibitions are held at the two levels of the southern courtyard and at the Charles V Hall and the Salla della Loggia inside the castle.

The castle is truly breathtaking when observing it from outside. Massive and beautiful, it can really impress. Make sure to visit the excavations underground and also take the elevator/stairs to the top, where the city view is extensive.

Tip:
If you go, it is highly recommended that you join a guided tour, if you want to make most of your visit - the small extra fee is worth it.

The Piazza Plebiscito is a square named after the plebiscite that resulted in the 1860 unification of Italy. It is the largest square in Naples.

The Piazza Plebiscito was laid under the orders of Joachim Murat, the brother in law of Napoleon who was installed as the King of Naples after the defeat of the Bourbon rulers. He ordered the demolition of an ancient abbey and a church to make way for the square. When the Bourbons returned to power after the defeat of Napoleon, Ferdinand I, the reinstated Bourbon ruler, completed the unfinished Piazza.

After World War II, the square was neglected and became a large parking lot until 1997, when it was restored to its former glory for the G7 summit held in Naples.

The Piazza Plebiscito has a semicircular shape. It has the Royal Palace at one end and the church of San Francesco di Paola on the other. The equestrian statues of the Bourbon kings, Ferdinand I and Charles III are placed in front of the church. Today, the square hosts New Years Eve and other festival celebrations and events like rock concerts. Large installations of contemporary art are also placed here periodically.

Visitors can find the Bourbon Tunnel 100 feet below the city of Naples. The tunnel was originally built in 1853 as an escape route for the Bourbon royal family.

King Ferdinand II of Bourbon commissioned the tunnel during a time of turmoil. Sicily and Naples were experiencing uprisings and riots, and the royal family wanted a way to escape the Royal Palace if needed.

The tunnel was connected to the 17th-century aqueduct system. Workers carved out the tunnel using hand tools such as picks, hammers, and wedges and used candlelight as illumination. Unfortunately, King Ferdinand II died before the tunnel was finished, and the underground space went unused until World War II.

During World War II, the space was used as an air-raid shelter and housed up to 10,000 Neapolitans.

After the war, the tunnel was used as a dump for wartime debris and impounded cars.

Today's visitors can see items left by wartime visitors, such as toys, hairbrushes, and beds. The impounded cars of the 1950s and 1960s are now classics and are an interesting addition to the underground tour.

The Castel dell’Ovo or Egg Castle is a seaside castle in Naples, located on the former island of Megaride, now a peninsula, on the Gulf of Naples in Italy. The castle's name comes from a legend about the Roman poet Virgil, who had a reputation in the Middle Ages as a great sorcerer and predictor of the future. In the legend, Virgil put a magical egg into the foundations to support the fortifications. Had this egg been broken, the castle would have been destroyed and a series of disastrous events for Naples would have followed.

The Greeks from Cumae were the first inhabitants of the island and it was from the location of the fortress that they founded what later became the city of Naples. The present structure dates back to the 15th century and was built by the Aragonese rulers. It served both as a royal residence and the state treasury. A small fishing village grew around the Egg Castle in the 19th century and is well known today for its marina and seafood restaurants.

The castle's roof is beautifully paved with bricks, making an ideal platform for 360 views of the city, the Mediterranean, and Mount Vesuvius. The climb on foot is easy, via a wide, very gradually ascending thoroughfare. A few shops and one small art gallery occupy some castle space. There are myriad points for great scenic photos.

Tip:
Try to go towards the end of the day as the sun is setting, and be sure to bring a camera, binoculars, plus water! The castle is very close to the boat terminal and you can go back to Sorrento by boat if you stay there.

The Fountain of the Giant (Fontana del Gigante) is a historical fountain monument in Naples that dates back to the 17th century. Originally, it was constructed next to the Royal Palace of Naples and got its name from its proximity to a massive ancient statue. Over time, it underwent several relocations. First, it was moved to the location of the Palace of the Immacolatella and later, in 1905, it found its current picturesque spot on via Partenope, near the Castel dell'Ovo. Sometimes, it is also referred to as the Fontana dell'Immacolatella.

This fountain, commissioned by Antonio Álvarez de Toledo, the 5th Duke of Alba and Spanish viceroy of Naples, stood near the Royal Palace at the corner of Largo di Palazzo. It featured a colossal statue called "il Gigante" or Giant, seen in historical paintings, including one by Gaspar van Wittel at Palazzo Zevallos Stigliano. The Giant statue, created in 1670, was removed in 1807. The fountain was designed by Florentine artists Pietro Bernini and Michelangelo Naccherino.

The monumental fountain is characterized by its richly decorated Mannerist style. It consists of three rounded arches, each adorned with the heraldic symbols of the Viceroy of Naples and his king. In the central arch, there is a cup held up by two marine creatures, while the statues in the remaining two lateral arches depict river deities holding sea monsters. At the end of the last arches, you'll find two caryatid statues holding cornucopias.