Traveling to the south of Italy, you should definitely visit Naples. This is a city where unique architectural masterpieces, ancient palazzos, castles, tunnels and catacombs have been preserved. Not far from this place are Pompeii and Herculaneum buried under the lava of the formidable volcano Vesuvius. Here the art of antiquity and baroque is closely intertwined. Of particular interest are the museums of Naples. They contain collections of famous sculptors, artists, samples of antique furniture. Both lovers of modern science and fans of antiquity will find a lot of interesting things in this place.<.p>

National Archaeological Museum

The building was erected in the 16th century. At first, the royal stables of Charles III were located there, then it was given over to the university. From 1616 to 1777 the building was converted into a Bourbon Museum. The name “National Museum” appeared in 1860. Unique collections of frescoes, mosaics discovered during excavations of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabiae, paintings of ancient artists are stored here. A great contribution to the development was made by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese.

He replenished the collections with antique sculptures, among which are of great interest: the sculptural group “Farnesian bull” restored by Michelangelo, “Farnesian Hercules”, a bust of Vespasian, Socrates, Hippocrates, a sculpture of Aphrodite. On the ground floor you can see the Egyptian collection of antiquities, collected by Stefano Borgia. The second floor is occupied by mosaics, frescoes, antique sculptures, finds from the Villa of the Papyrus, bronze statues. Now, this is the largest archaeological museum in Southern Italy, which is a must-see when traveling through this country.

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National Museum and Galleries in Capodimonte

This is a real palace, surrounded on all sides by magnificent green spaces. It is located at some distance from the historical center of Naples. King Charles VII, who ascended the throne in 1734, began the construction of the palace specifically to accommodate the unique collections of the Farnese family, which he inherited from his mother, Elisabetta Farnese.

The building has a gallery of rarities, where you can see rare and valuable art objects – caskets made of precious materials, figurines and objects made of ivory, bronze, mechanical board games. Of great interest are the expositions: a collection of tapestries (16th century), weapons (16th-17th centuries), a gallery of paintings by famous artists (Raphael, Titian, etc.). The monarchs used the building as a residence. The exposition of the Royal Apartments is dedicated to the Bourbons, Bonaparte and some representatives of the Savoy dynasty. In 1978, a collection of contemporary art was opened there, which included works by the best artists of our time.

Chapel of San Severo

Located on the estate of the Sangro family. It was erected as a tomb and a chapel for the princes who bore the title of San Severo. The building is made in the Baroque style. It is located in the central part of Naples, near the church of San Domenico Maggiore. The chapel is mentioned in the book of Cesare d'Engenio Caracciollo, more precisely the statue of the Virgin “Pietella”. It describes a miracle that happened to an innocently accused person. The Mother of God appeared to him as he was being led past the chapel. After that, all false accusations were dropped from the prisoner. The second miracle is associated with the healing of Francesco Paolo de Sangro, the first prince of San Severo.

The premises contain real sculptural masterpieces, performed by famous masters. Currently, the chapel has been turned into a museum. It contains the sculptures “Christ under the shroud”, “Chastity”, “Getting rid of the spell”, sculptural ensembles “Do not touch me” (the meeting of Jesus with Mary Magdalene), “Descent from the Cross”, and many others. etc. The architecture of the building deserves special attention. The floor of the chapel is decorated with marble, and the vault is decorated with a huge fresco called “Heavenly Glory”. Natural light is provided by six large windows.

Museum of Contemporary Art Donnaregina

Located in the Palazzo Donnaregina, built in the 13th century. The building was bought first by the bank, and then by the Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza Vieira, who made major repairs there and converted the palazzo into a museum. It is noteworthy that during the reconstruction, a part of the wall erected in the 4th-5th century BC was left visible under the floor. The building consists of three floors, where the works of contemporary authors are exhibited. The museum is one of the best art venues of our time.

The galleries present collections of fine art by Italian masters from 1960-1970. Giuseppe Penone, Giulio Paolini, Mario Merza, Yannis Kounellis, who belonged to the popular Arte Povera movement. Also, there are collections of foreign masters: the work of Jeff Koons “Wild Boy and Puppy”, “Judith and Holofernes” by Richard Serra, the installation “Dark Brother”, the composition “When Logic Dies”. The third floor of the building is dedicated specifically for temporary exhibitions. On the walls of the halls you can see the paintings by Saul LeWitt and Richard Long.

Napoli Sotteranea

This is a place that takes visitors back several centuries. Represents the underground Naples. The entrance to the tunnel is located in the Basilica of Santa Maria della Sanita, directly below the altar. This is a real labyrinth with a length of 80 km, where you should not go down without a guide. Until now, scientists are studying this place. Here you can see signs of a bomb shelter, ancient caves in their original form (more than 700 caves and corridors). The history of Napoli Sotteranea dates back to antiquity. A network of branched tunnels is carved right into the volcanic tuff.
There are also secret early Christian churches, burial complexes, aqueducts of Emperor Augustus, burial complexes. Tunnels and catacombs expanded, changed their shape and purpose. The most famous catacombs of underground Naples are San Gennaro, San Gaudioso, San Severo. And in 2008, the War Museum was opened here, which exhibits equipment and weapons of 1940-1943. The dungeon is located at a depth of 40 m underground, so you need to dress warmly before going down there.

Cathedral of Saint Januarius

The Cathedral of St. Januarius or the Assumption of St. Mary (modern name) is located in the very center of the city. Its construction began in the second half of the 13th century. The temple was founded on the foundations of two ancient basilicas. The construction of the church began during the reign of Charles of Anjou, and it was completed only at the beginning of the 14th century. This Catholic church consists of many chapels built at different times. The facade of the cathedral was renovated in the 19th century, under the patronage of the architect Enrico Alvino. It has a 15th century portal, with sculptures by Tino da Camaino.

The chapel of Saint Januarius, the patron saint of Naples, deserves special attention. Its walls are decorated with frescoes by famous masters – Lanfranco, Domenichino, José de Ribera. Along the walls you can see sculptures, among which the bust of Saint Januarius, created by three French masters, is considered a real masterpiece. It is made of gold and silver, and lavishly decorated with precious stones. A relic is kept in the cathedral – a bowl with the blood of a saint, it is shown to visitors only three times a year.

Pio Monte della Mizerikordia

Palazzo Pio Monte del Misericordia is located near the Cathedral of Naples. The building has a very rich history. The building is a magnificent architectural ensemble with multiple arches, niches with sculptures. The history of the building begins in 1601, when seven young nobles decided to create an organization that helps the poor sick. The fund helped the poor, pilgrims, prisoners, people who fell into a debt hole.

Initially, the foundation was located in a small church, but then the activity began to develop rapidly, and it was necessary to buy neighboring buildings. Gradually, all these houses were combined into a single complex. The reconstructed church was consecrated by Pope Paul V himself. Sights of Pio Monte dela Misericordia are sculptures by famous masters. One of the best works of Michelangelo Merisi di Caravaggio “The Seven Acts of Mercy” is kept here. It is located directly above the altar. The picture never left the walls of the temple, even during the bombing in wartime.

Museum of the University of Science and Arts

It was created so that visitors could get acquainted with inventions, new scientific discoveries and interactive technologies. The building is a whole complex consisting of many sectors, in which several expositions are presented at once. There are exhibits related to physics, natural sciences, a theater showing visitors the connection between scientific achievements and society. The museum is one of the most visited attractions in the city. He was awarded the Micheletti Award as the best in Europe.

Museum of the Royal Palace

The Royal Palace was built by order of Viceroy Ferdinand in the 17th century. At the moment, it houses the Museum of Historical Apartments and the National Library of Naples. The construction of the building lasted 15 years. During its existence, the palace was reconstructed several times. At one time, Maria of Austria, Viceroy Fernando Ruiz, King Ferdinand I lived in it. The Bourbons used the Palazzo as their residence.

The architecture of the building testifies to the rich past of the palazzo. The building is 169 m long. There are two tiers of windows along the entire length, in the middle there are coats of arms of all the monarchs living here. The interior of the palace is decorated with the best examples of world art. Inside the building there are several halls, which in themselves are a real work of art. These are the halls of Hercules, the Central, the Throne, the palace chapel, the court theater. The Royal Palace houses a unique collection of paintings, including works by Titian, Giordano, Guercino, Mattia Pretti.

Villa and Museum Pignatelli

The villa is a striking example of a historic residence. The building and its surrounding area changed owners several times. Each owner made his own changes, adding new elements to the interior. The name of the villa was in honor of the last owners – the Pignatelli family. This unique building was handed over to the state on the condition that not a single item be given to other collections. Now, the villa has been turned into a museum.

The exterior of the building is generously decorated with majestic columns. At the entrance there are two statues of the “dogs of Alcibiades”, representing a copy of the famous Roman sculpture. The villa consists of Red, Ballroom, Blue, Green halls. The walls are decorated with antique tapestries of the finest workmanship and decorated with photographs in gold frames. On the ceilings you can see magnificent paintings, and on the shelves – elegant gizmos. The villa houses a collection of porcelain collected by Rosina Pignatelli. On the second floor there are living quarters and a bathroom, and there is an old clock near the stairs.

Certosa di San Martino

Certosa is located on the high hill of Vomero, offering a magnificent view of the bays of the Gulf of Naples and Vesuvius. In the past, the building belonged to the Carthusian monastery of St. Martin. The construction of the monastery ended in 1368, during the reign of Giovanna I. Since then, the building has been rebuilt many times. The current view of the monastery is one of the best examples of the Neapolitan Baroque. Now, behind the walls of the monastery of Certosa di San Martino is a museum. It consists of 90 halls of different sizes, where various expositions are exhibited. On the walls you can see real masterpieces of painting.

Here are collected collections of local artists of that time, things that once belonged to the nobility. The patio is no less interesting. On the territory there is a small garden, decorated with sculptures, fountains, lawns. Carved railings are decorated with stone skulls. There are works by the famous sculptor and artist Cosimo Fanzago. This place gives a complete picture of the life and life of the rich people of that time.

Pietrarsa National Railway Museum

Traveling to the sights of the city, one cannot ignore the National Railway Museum of Pietrarsa. The building is located on the outskirts of the city, inside the ancient workshop of San Giovanni a Teduccio. It was there that the first steam locomotives began to be produced. All samples of railway transport are collected in the halls of the workshop.

The entire space covers an area of 36,000 sq.m. There you can see DC locomotives, steam locomotives, electric locomotives, diesel locomotives, passenger and mail cars, equipment on which cars were assembled and their parts were made. All exhibits are placed in seven pavilions. The permanent exhibition was opened in 1989 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the introduction of railways in Italy. The collections collected in the workshop make it possible to learn the history of the development of railway transport, to evaluate the difficult work of the workers of that time who worked on the assembly of machines.

coral museum

Massive collection and processing of corals in Italy began in the early 19th century. In 1855, near Naples, the Ascione family founded a workshop specializing in the collection and processing of corals. Soon, the workshop began to enjoy great popularity, and in addition to corals, they began to work with semi-precious stones, sea shells, and mother-of-pearl. The business turned out to be so profitable and successful that the jeweler soon opened his own company, whose products continued to be in demand even in the 20th century. Now, the workshop is a museum. It consists of two halls.

In the first one you can see ancient tools for processing materials, a description of processing techniques and stages of work on jewelry. The second hall is a room where Ascione products are collected, as well as their high-quality copies. There are bowls, elegant boxes made of malachite, elements of interior decoration with coral, ladies' handbags. One of the best exhibits is the pectoral cross of Pope John II. It is made of gold and decorated with beautiful cameos.

Gallery Borbonic

To visit the Borbonik Gallery, you need to stock up on warm clothes in advance. It is a system of tunnels built by order of Ferdinand II. These catacombs were used by the Bourbon family as secret passages and are located at a depth of 30 m underground. During the war, the tunnels were used as bomb shelters, as evidenced by the numerous inscriptions left by the Italians on the walls. And then, confiscated cars and motorcycles were stored in this place, which are now exhibits of the gallery. Three different types of excursions are offered for tourists – Cave, Adventure and Standard.

Gaetano Filangeri Museum

It was supposedly erected by the architect Giuliano da Mayano, in 1464, by order of the merchant Angelo Como. In 1881, the streets were widened and rebuilt, and the building was destroyed and then reassembled 20 m further from the previous location. The museum was opened in this building in 1888. Its founder was Prince Gaetano Filangeri.

The building is located in the historical center of the city. Next door is the Church of St. Mary of the Carmelite Order and the University of Frederico II. Inside the palazzo, unique collections of art are collected – marble, terracotta and bronze busts, ancient armor, coins, paintings by famous artists of the Neapolitan Baroque, manuscripts of the 13th-14th centuries and a historical archive of great value to modern researchers and historians.