Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
when the Egyptian expats moved out, before turning up headless in the 15th century. Re-
named
Il Corpo di Napoli
(The Body of Naples), its great bearded bonce was added in the
18th century.
Opposite the statue, on the wall outside Bar Nilo, is the tongue-in-cheek
Maradona
deity Diego Armando Maradona.
Stuck to an epic poem written in Maradona's honour is a small, black hair - 'Kapel Ori-
ginal of Maradona' reads the English label, a direct translation of the Italian
Capello ori-
ginale di Maradona
. The small container is full of genuine Maradona tears…and shame
on anyone who suggests it's only water.
Napoli Sotterranea
(Underground Naples; 081 29 69 44;
www.napolisotterranea.org
;
Piazza San
Gaetano 68; tours adult/reduced €9.30/6; English tours 10am, noon, 2pm, 4pm & 6pm
Mon-Fri, extra tours Thu, Sat & Sun; C55 to Via Duomo)
This evocative guided tour
leads you 40m below street level to explore Naples' ancient labyrinth of aqueducts, pas-
sages and cisterns.
The passages were originally hewn by the Greeks to extract tufa stone used in construc-
tion and to channel water from Mt Vesuvius. Extended by the Romans, the network of
conduits and cisterns was more recently used as an air-raid shelter in WWII. Part of the
tour takes place by candlelight via extremely narrow passages - not suitable for expanded
girths!
TOUR
Basilica di San Paolo Maggiore
( 081 45 40 48; Piazza San Gaetano 76; 9am-7pm Mon-Sat; C55 to Via
Duomo)
Despite dating to the 8th century, this glorious basilica was almost entirely rebuilt
at the end of the 16th century. Its huge, gold-stuccoed interior features paintings by
Massimo Stanzione and Paolo De Matteis, and a striking geometric floor by Nicola Tam-
maro. Top billing, however, goes to the sumptuous
sacristy
, lavished with luminous fres-
coes by baroque-meister Francesco Solimena.
Built in 1603, the double staircase adorning the basilica's main facade is the work of
Francesco Grimaldi. Much older are the two columns flanking the entrance, taken from
the Roman temple to Castor and Pollux that stood on the site.
CHURCH
