ITN24 CAE - Visit to Naples

Spaccanapoli is one of the oldest districts in the heart of Naples. The term originally refers to a long street that was part of the decumanus of the Greco-Roman city. It takes its name from the Latin spaccare (to cut), as it is the road that divides the city into two parts (north and south). It represents an itinerary to discover the traditions of the Neapolis founded by Greek colonists in 470 BC. The group arrived in Naples at 10 a.m., where various emblematic sites were presented, either by Italian students or by sometimes colourful guides (a marquis, a monk). Many sites were observed along the way, with a wide variety of origins and functions and a few of them were the subject of a more in-depth history : Church of Santa Chiara : the most important Gothic building in the city, dating from the 13th century, under the aegis of Sancia di Majorca, the wife of Robert d'Anjou ; ‘Napoli Sotterranea’, the ‘underground world’ of Naples ; Piazza Municipio, the administrative and commercial centre of the city, with the monument to Vittorio Emanuele II at its centre ; Galleria Umberto 1, built by Emanuele Rocco (late 19th century), with an iron dome and a 57.5m-high glass roof. The tour ended in the area around Piazza de Plebiscito and Via Toledo. The Piazza de Plebiscito is a large esplanade surrounded by semi-elliptical arcades, the construction of which began at the beginning of the 19th century at the request of the vice-king Murat. A Doric colonnade frames the solemn main façade of the Basilica of San Francesco da Paola, opposite which stand 2 equestrian statues of Ferdinand I, who had the church built, and Charles III of Bourbon. Via Toledo' is one of the main streets in Naples, built alongside the old city walls in 1536, it forms a link between the north and south of the city. Requested in 1536 by the vice-king Peter Alvarez of Toledo, it marked the boundary between the old town and the area where the Spanish troops were stationed. 

Students enjoyed a variety of guided tours in English on the history of the city. They learned first-hand about the city's rich history, culture and art. Walking through the streets immediately gave them an idea of the sheer number of religious buildings present, from Gothic and Baroque buildings to structures that combine a variety of architectural styles. Finally, they were able to wander around the Piazza de Plebiscito and Via Toledo, admiring the multitude of palaces and churches and discovering one of the busiest shopping streets in the city centre.