napoli flegreacrypta neapolitana type:archaeological/historic interest:
The Neapolitan Crypt is a tunnel long more than 700 meters dug under the tuff hill of Posillipo in order to connect Neapolis with the Flegrean Fields. It was wanted by Marco Vipsiano Agrippa, a strategist of Augusto, and was built by the architect Lucio Cocceio Aucto during the republican age. Before the construction of the tunnel, the ground connection between these two places was granted just through the hills, thanks to the via Puteoli-Neapolis that went across the hills of the current quarter of Vomero. There are many legends about the tunnel: some tells that Virgil, with its magical power, built this great engineering work just in one night; another one tells that Cocceio used more than 100.000 men to hole the rock just in 15 days. Seneca narrated that the transit across the tunnel was very hard, because of the dark, dusty and grinding place. Anyway, thanks to this easy connection, in comparison to the other way per colles, the tunnel has been made better during the last centuries. At the end of the 19th century the tunnel fell into disuse, because it was already possible to get to Fuorigrotta by passing through the tunnel of Quattro Giornate, parallel to the Neapolitan Crypt. All along this place is connected to rituals, traditions and beliefs. Petronio told that in the 1st century b.C. the Crypt was consecrated to Priapo, god of fertility, who was honored with orgycal ceremonies celebrated during the night. In the 16th century , during the works for the renovation wanted by don Pedro de Toledo, some finds related to the god Mitra were found, in particular low reliefs, wells and balnea. The symbolism connected to the Neapolitan Crypt has lasted in time, living through the passage from paganism to Christianity (the church of S. Maria di Piedigrotta dates at 12th century). Even today the pregnant women go to the church of Piedigrotta to pray, like so the young brides took part to the propitious rites inside the Crypt during the imperial age. Apart from some wall paintings of the 13th century, near the tunnel’s entry it is possible to see the Giacomo Leopardi’s grave - whose mortal remains were in the Church of San Vitale in Fuorigrotta – and a Roman sepulcher identified as Virgil’s grave. He was dead in Brindisi but wanted to be buried in Naples.
Parco Vergiliano (Crypta Neapolitana, Virgilio's grave and Leopardi's grave) Via Piedigrotta, 20 - Napoli
Ph. 081.669390 Free entrance from 9.00 a.m. to one hour before the sunset on weekdays
from 9.00 a.m. to 13.00 a.m. on holidays
