Carminiello ai Mannesi, Former baroque church in central Naples, Italy
Carminiello ai Mannesi is a former baroque church in central Naples that sits atop layers of Roman imperial buildings, including a bath complex with multiple chambers. The site reveals how different periods of construction stack on top of each other as you move deeper underground.
The church was built over Roman structures from the imperial period that shaped the site for centuries. Bombardment in 1943 destroyed the church building and exposed the ancient Roman layers beneath.
The site contains a preserved Mithraeum, an underground temple from the second century where followers conducted ceremonies dedicated to the deity Mithras.
The site sits behind a fence near the historic center, about one block south of Naples Cathedral. Visitors should check ahead as access times may be limited due to the archaeological nature of the location.
Below the church level lies a Mithraeum, an underground temple from the 2nd century where followers conducted ceremonies honoring Mithras. This rare discovery shows how pagan worship remained embedded in the city's religious layers.
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