Naples Underground, Underground archaeological site in Naples, Italy
Naples Underground is a subterranean network beneath the city streets containing ancient tunnels, caves, cisterns, and water systems created over many centuries. The site extends roughly 40 meters below ground level and spans across a vast area with passages and chambers built at different times.
Greek settlers started quarrying tuff stone in the third century BC to build temples and city walls of ancient Neapolis. Later, Romans expanded these voids for water storage and other purposes, creating the complex system visible today.
The tunnels hold graffiti, furniture, and objects left behind by Neapolitans who sheltered here during World War II air raids. The walls still carry traces of daily life from that time, showing how people adapted these spaces for survival.
Visitors need to navigate narrow passages and steep stairs through dimly lit tunnels, which requires reasonable physical fitness and care. Wearing comfortable shoes and taking time to move slowly are important, as the underground space demands attention to your footing.
Beneath modern Naples lie the remains of a Roman theater that lay hidden under streets and buildings for centuries. This theater becomes visible only during excavations and special tours, showing how an entire ancient structure was preserved in the underground.
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