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Girl from Naples

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Nativity in one of the shops on San Gregorio Armeno.

PRESEPE NAPOLETANO

November 16, 2023

The Christmas tree in many parts of the world is the symbol of Christmas. Not in Napoli. Here we have a very old and deep tradition: The Presepe, the Nativity.

There’s no Neapolitan house that doesn’t have their own version of the Presepe: small or large, simple or elaborate, modern or classical. In fact, one of my oldest memories as a child was of my grumpy uncle who turned into a happy child when he showed you his presepe, ‘his masterpiece’, which he displayed the whole year round in the living room.

Some people go mad decorating their homes and lawns with Christmas lights and decorations. Neapolitans go crazy with the nativity.

We need to go back in history to really understand the deep connection between this tradition and the Neapolitans. The 17th century is the golden age of the Presepe, however the origins date back far longer, as they were first documented in the 11th century.

The first known church to display a Presepe was in the 15th century when San Domenico Maggiore church displayed the Nativity scene inside a cave made with real stones rumoured to have been brought from Palestine. Since then until now every church in Naples displays its own Presepe.

The figures of the Neapolitan Presepe include the traditional statues of the Holy Family and also of the ‘Pastori’, which are made up of the shepherds, as well as lots of characters found on the old streets of Naples such as fishermen, merchants, bakers and ordinary men, women and children. Eventually these Presepe became status symbols where aristocrats and rich merchants began to commission pastori with their own features to display in their extravagant nativity scenes and a whole industry sprung up to meet this growing demand. Many workshops started to specialise in making these statues and you can still find them in the old town on the street known as San Gregorio Armeno. Even King Charles III of Bourbon was a fan who actively encouraged the practice. The 17th century was when the technique of making the statues was perfected. The faces were made with terracotta, which could give them a realistic range of facial expressions, then glass eyes were added. The bodies were constructed of bound string, richly dressed in expensive fabrics.

Today in the shops on San Gregorio Armeno you will find statues of figures from contemporary life such as footballers which include of course Maradona, the royal family, celebrities from the world of music and film and even pizzaiolo’s (pizza makers). Here you can also purchase the scenes to place them in which often resemble Neapolitan alleyways. If you go in the month of December expect to encounter large crowds. Be warned, it gets very busy!.

Nowadays, some of the most magnificent Presepe in Napoli are the ones exhibited inside the Museum of San Martino and at the Royal Palace on Piazza Plebiscito. The most spectacular one in San Martino is known as Presepe Cuciniello named after the nobleman who commissioned it in 1879 and it still sits in its original position. This Presepe is a unique example of the technology of its day. It sits inside a cave behind huge glass windows and a machine recreates the different stages of the day, from sunrise to dusk and throughout the night-time, all in a matter of minutes. The Presepe includes all manner of figures and every type of animals, as well as exquisitely crafted fruits and vegetables and meats and fish.

See more in the section I wrote about San Martino here.

Presepe Cuciniello, dated 1879 in San Martino.

Part of the collection of the Presepe section of the museum in San Martino.

Part of the collection of the Presepe section of the museum in San Martino.

The Presepe on display at the Royal Palace, belongs to the Banco di Napoli and it is a collection of several Neapolitan artists, like Giuseppe Sanmartino (sculptor of the breathtaking Cristo Velato in the Sansevero Chapel). It is a 17th century Neapolitan scene in which all the figures wear oriental and elegant clothes and which even includes Vesuvius in the background.

If you want to make your own Presepe, these are some of the characters of the tradition which you must be include in your scene. Benino (or Benito) is the young sleeping shepherd, which represents the awareness of the birth of Jesus. The vintner, to represent the wine, the blood of Jesus. The fisherman, always a reference to the Gospel. I due compari, two men at the tavern playing with cards, who represent Carnival and death. Last but not least i Re Magi, the three kings, which according to tradition, arrived in Jerusalem with gifts for the baby Jesus. For those fanatical about Presepe, it is very common to place three small kings in the background at the start of the festive period as they are coming from far away and then every few days they are replaced with bigger and bigger statues until January 5th when they finally arrive at the stable to visit baby Jesus, whose statue is only put in the scene at midnight on Christmas Eve.

Benino (or Benito), the sleeping shepherd.

The Three Kings.

Details of the precious clothes of some pastori.

As I previously mentioned, you can visit the San Martino museum and the Royal Palace Presepe, but the best way to experience the real Presepe Napoletano is to visit ‘Christmas Alley’ San Gregorio Armeno. This is one of the alleys in the old town, famous for all its shops where they sell and make all the statues of the presepe. You can find here any type of statues, from the cheapest (only few euros), to the most expensive (thousands of euros). You can also find elaborate pieces such as waterfalls with real water, mills, ovens, and all you can put in a nativity scene.

The famous Christmas alley, San Gregorio Armeno.

The amazing shops in San Gregorio Armeno.

You don’t need to be religious to appreciate The Neapolitan Presepe. When you walk around San Gregorio Armeno and all the other Presepe in Napoli, I’m sure you will be amazed by this fascinating world of tradition and modernity and by the the skills and the dedication of the artists who have created these wonderful things, generation after generation. These shops are open all year round and every January these presepe makers start to plan and work on the new presepe for the next Christmas.

Details of the making of a pastore.

Artist hands.

One of the oldest workshops in San Gregorio Armeno.

Statues of varying sizes.

Statues.

Sacro e profano. Sacred and profane.

You can make your own presepe with some barn/villages.

Barns like a traditional Neapolitan house.

Different types of pastori.

Vegetables & fruits. All hand made and painted.

The smallest Presepe inside a walnut.

The incredible expressivity of the pastori in the San Lorenzo church.

Details of the pastori in the San Lorenzo church.

In Christmas in Naples, Naples Churches, Museums, Neapolitan Life, Nativity, Religion Tags christmas, christmas in naples, christmas tree, christmas decorations, napoli, naples, secret napoli, babbo natale, Jesus, Pastori, presepe, Nativity, streets, street, statues, church, san gregorio armeno, san martino, Shop, workshops, travel, traveler, travelblogger, traveling, travelling, wanderlust, city, inner city, centro storico, handmade, madonna, pastori, pastore, holiday, holidays, christmas holidays, museum, churches, artists lights, lights, decoration, home, art, artefacts, artist, san domenico maggiore, king, collection, collezione, presepiale, HISTORY, neapolitan, san lorenzo church, royal palace, maradona, royal family, dresses, dress, theatre, life, work, beautiful, religion, sacred
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What's hiding under Napoli?

What's hiding under Napoli?

The Underground City

October 9, 2023

Napoli is definitely a city with many wonders and thousands of secrets.  Every century left an important mark on the city making it how we see it today.  Napoli is not just a unique city on its surface, but also in its depths.  Napoli was founded by the Greeks around 500BC. and by physically going down under the streets of Napoli you can discover remnants of the original Greek city. This area is called decumani (decumans), from the old term indicating the main streets that ran through the city (today via Tribunali, via Constantinopoli and via Benedetto Croce).  You can still visit the Greek tunnels underground where the population used to hide during the bombing of WWII. 

There are different sites where you can book your excursion under the city offering different tours (available in other languages as well). 

One of the most famous is the Napoli Sotterranea, near via dei Tribunali, one of the busiest streets of the old part.  The guide will take you down to the very depths under the centro storico (old town). 

The entrance of Napoli Sotterranea in via dei Tribunali.

The entrance of Napoli Sotterranea in via dei Tribunali.

The visit starts from the 136 steps that go down the ground for about 40 metres. Warning: it is always desirable to bring a jumper as the temperature drops dramatically (or can also be a nice refreshment from the heat).

The steps down.

There are 136 steps down to the tunnels. They are 40 metres below ground. Warning: it is always advisable to bring a jumper as the temperature drops dramatically (or otherwise it can also be a nice refreshment from the heat). One of the best parts to see is the Greek-Roman Aqueduct, big cisterns of water which used to supply the city, and the the remains of the Roman theatre, accessible through a typical Neapolitan house.  During WWII, these tunnels were used by the Neapolitans as shelter from the aerial bombing that was destroying and damaging the city.  Many objects of daily life were found, like children's toys, clothes and books.  There is even a Hypogeum Garden,  a scientific project dedicated to the power of the Earth. The garden, is in fact a great attraction not only for tourists but also for scientists and botanists.  Here there is a variety of vegetable plants, which were able to grow despite the absence of natural light.

Overall, this tour is very interesting and I really suggest to do it if you have the time. Although, i must warn you if you are claustrophobic!  During the visit you will be able to walk through very narrow tunnels carrying only a candle!  In case you don't feel comfortable to continue, the guide can take you back to a certain level where you can wait for the rest of the group to come back.  To know more about this excursion, visit the official website of Napoli Sotterranea or go to the bottom of the post for tickets and timetables.

The Pozzari were men who used to carry vases to supply the city with water.

The Pozzari were men who used to carry vases to supply the city with water.

Cisterns of water.

Cisterns of water.

The Hypogeum Garden.

The Hypogeum Garden.

The only way to get around the tunnels.

The only way to get around the tunnels.

Some of the caves were used as shelter from the bombing during the WWII.

Some of the caves were used as shelter from the bombing during WWII.

The narrow underground tunnels.

The narrow underground tunnels.

Not far from the Napoli Sotterranea in piazza San Gaetano, there is the San Lorenzo Maggiore church, here you can have a guided tour of the archeological site under the structure of the church. The excursion starts at almost 10 metres under the city from the medieval remains of the church, continuing to the remains of the Greek and Roman city where there are still the visible ruins of the market, a temple, shops, houses, marvellous mosaics and marble architectural remains.  Archeologists have outlined a map of the ancient city where the church now is.  More info about the excursions on San Lorenzo Maggiore or visit the official website or go to the bottom of the post. 

Greek and Roman streets of the ancient city under the church of San Lorenzo Maggiore.

Greek and Roman streets of the ancient city under the church of San Lorenzo Maggiore.

Shops of the ancient underground city.

Shops of the ancient underground city.

Temples and private habitations under the church of San Lorenzo Maggiore.

Temples and private habitations under the church of San Lorenzo Maggiore.

Another interesting tour under Napoli is the Bourbon Tunnel.  In 2007, a group of geologists discovered a tunnel long about 84 meters of carafa caves just under Piazza Plebiscito.  The construction of the tunnel started in 1853 and finished in 1855 for king Ferdinand II of Bourbon.  The underground tunnel linked the Royal Palace to the sea, its purpose was as a secret tunnel to move the royal troops. The tunnel was divided in two sections, the Royal Gallery and the Road Regia, one for carriages and the other one for all the pedestrians.

In the years of WWII, the Bourbon tunnel was also used as an air raid shelter.  The geologists found a large amount of personal items and objects, cars, motorbikes and vehicles, even statues and funeral monuments.

There is also a tour around the Catacombs of Napoli where you will find the the final resting place of thousands of Neapolitan skeletons from centuries past .  There are different tours, one of the most popular is to visit the San Gennaro catacombs.  San Gennaro is the saint protector of the city, and here is where his remains where originally found.  Today his remains are in the Cathedral (Duomo). The area of the catacombs is quite spacious and it is divided in two levels: covered in tuff (tufo, typical Neapolitan stone that covers most of the underground tunnels) there is the lower catacombs, with a baptismal basin, and an upper level were the tomb of San Gennaro was.  Probably originally these spaces were used as a sepulchre of an aristocratic family and then used by the christian community around the 2nd century A.D.  Later additions were made in order to keep the remains of Sant Agrippino, the first patron of Napoli, in the 4th Century A.D.  Another interesting place to visit is the Bishops Crypt and the underground cathedral. Miglio Sacro is in the area of Sanitá, which links all the churches to the catacombs. 

All these different tours of underground Napoli are very interesting journeys through the history of the city.  I really suggest to try and do at least one of these tours, if you can, first because it's a unique experience ( in no other city it is possible to see, even in Rome) and also because it is a different way to understand what's below the surface and to discover the centuries of history buried under Napoli. 

 

      

Official website: Napoli Sotterranea
Piazza San Gaetano 68 Napoli
Tel.: 0039 081 296944 / 0039 081 0190933
Mobile: 0039 392 1733828 / 0039 334 3662841
Email: info@napolisotterranea.org

Timetable excursions: in English 10,00-12,00 / 14,00-16,00 / 18,00

Also tours in other languages (french, german, spanish). 

Duration of the tour: about 2 hours.

You can book online on the official website or on the official app.

 

Official website: San Lorenzo Maggiore - La Neapolis Sotterrata   

Piazza San Gaetano 316 Napoli

Tel.: 0039 081 211 0860 / Whatsapp 0039 389 1091 865

Email: visite.sanlorenzo@libero.it

Timetable tours:  9.30 - 17.30  (everyday) Timetable excursions: in English 11,00 / 13,15 / 15,15 / 17,00

Tickets: € 9 /  € 7 with Artecard, for teachers, university students and Over 65 /  € 6 Under 18 / € 4 School groups / Free under 6.

 

Official website: Bourbon Tunnel - il Tunnel Borbonico. 

Tel.: 0039 366 248 4151 / 0039 081 764 5808

 Email: mail@galleriaborbonica.com

The tour to the tunnel has three different entrances and for each entrance there is a different tour with different fees.  Some tours are not suitable for children. 

Official website: Catacombs of Napoli - Catacombe di Napoli. 

Via Capodimonte, 13  (Entrance near the Basilica del Buon Consiglio).

Tel.: 0039 081 744 37 14
Email: info@catacombedinapoli.it

 

Source: 2018/4/24/the-underground-city
In Naples Churches, Museums, Neapolitan Life, Archeology, Catacombs Tags Napoli, Naples, undeground, city, inner city, history, archeology, ancient Rome, ancient greece, ancient greek, underground city, secret napoli, secrets of napoli, Italia, Italy, italian, tour, tourists, tourism, touristic, tour guide, tunnel, street, streets, catacombs, tombs, roman aqueduct, aqueduct, roman theatre, theatre, wwII, HISTORY, church, temple, map, bourbon tunnel, san gennaro, crypt
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