Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
program. Christened the Castrum Novum (New Castle) to distinguish it from the older
Castel dell'Ovo and Castel Capuano, the original structure's only survivor is the Cappella
Palatina. The rest is the result of Aragonese renovations two centuries later, as well as a
meticulous restoration effort prior to WWII.
The two-storey Renaissance triumphal arch at the entrance - the Torre della Guardia -
commemorates the victorious entry of Alfonso I of Aragon into Naples in 1443, while the
stark stone
Sala dei Baroni
(Hall of the Barons) is named after the barons slaughtered here
in 1486 for plotting against King Ferdinand I of Aragon. Its striking ribbed vault fuses an-
cient Roman and Spanish late-Gothic influences.
Only fragments of Giotto's frescoes remain in the
Cappella Palatina
, on the splays of the
Gothic windows. To the left of the chapel, the glass-floored
Sala dell'Armeria
(Armoury
Hall) reveals Roman ruins discovered during restoration works on the Sala dei Baroni.
All this forms part of the
Museo Civico
, spread across several halls on three floors. The
14th- and 15th-century frescoes and sculptures are of the most interest, as is Guglielmo
Monaco's 15th-century bronze door, complete with embedded cannonball.
Castel dell'Ovo
CASTLE
( 081 795 45 93; Borgo Marinaro; 9am-7.30pm Mon-Sat, to 2pm Sun; 154 to Via Santa Lucia)
Built by the Normans in the 12th century, Naples' oldest castle owes its name
(Castle of the Egg) to Virgil. The Roman scribe reputedly buried an egg on the site where
the castle now stands, warning that when the egg breaks, the castle (and Naples) will fall.
Thankfully, both are still in one piece, and walking up to the castle's ramparts will reward
you with a breathtaking panorama... and a steady string of lip-locked couples.
