Page 496 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

494  SOUTHERN IT AL Y

Naples: Museo Archeologico Nazionale

This building, housing one of the world’s Spring Fresco
most important archaeological museums, The fresco removed
from the Villa Stabia
started life in the late 1500s as the home of in the Varano plain
the royal cavalry and was rebuilt in the early is a masterpiece of
17th century as the seat of Naples university. grace and elegance;
In 1777, when Ferdinand IV transferred the the female figure
rendered with soft,
university to the former monastery of Gesù delicate colours.
Vecchio, the building was again adapted
to house the Real Museo Borbonico and
library. In 1860 it became public property.
The 1980 earthquake caused much damage
to the collections. Major restoration and
reorganization of exhibits continue but most
areas of the museum are open.

Villa of the Papyri

Bust of “Seneca”
Found in the Villa dei Papiri in
Herculaneum, this 1st-century BC
bronze head was long thought to
represent the philosopher Seneca
the Elder (c.55 BC–AD 39). Today,
however, its identity is less certain.

. The Battle of Alexander
The splendid mosaic from
the House of the
Faun in Pompeii
(see p498) de picts
Alex ander the
Great’s victory
over Persian
Em peror Darius
III (333 BC).

Key
Epigraphs
Egyptian collection
Engraved gems
Sculptures
Mosaics
Numismatics
Didactics The Secret Cabinet
The erotic works from Pompeii
Herculaneum & Pompeii
and Herculaneum housed here
Hall of the Sundial caused embarrassment at the
Prehistoric, Greek and Etruscan time of the Bourbons. Today,
collections however, they are available for
Non-exhibition space public viewing (book ahead).
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp576–7 and pp600–605

494-495_EW_Italy.indd 494 4/5/17 9:31 AM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Starsight template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.2)
Date 23rd October 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm