Page 498 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

496  SOUTHERN IT AL Y

Exploring Southeast Naples not welcome. Stick to side streets
near via Toledo, and avoid the rest
The area south of Via Armando Diaz is home to Naples’ castles of the area, especially at night.
and royal palace as well as the densely populated Spanish
Quarter. On the outskirts of the old town are a number of E Museo Nazionale di
museums in historic buildings. San Martino
Largo di San Martino 5. Tel 081 229 45
02/68. Museo: Open 8:30am–7:30pm
+ Castel Nuovo Thu–Tue. & 7 Castel Sant’Elmo:
Piazza Municipio. Tel 081 795 58 77. Open 8:30am– 6:30pm Wed–Mon.
Open 9am–7pm Mon–Sat (last adm: High above Santa Lucia, the
6pm). Closed some public hols. 7 Baroque Certosa di San Martino,
Museo Civico: Tel 081 795 58 77. founded in the 1300s as a
Open 9am–6pm Mon–Sat. & Carthusian monastery, has great
Also known as the Maschio views of the Bay of Naples. It
Angioino, this Angevin fortress houses a museum featuring a
was built for Charles of Anjou variety of presepi, Christmas cribs
in 1279–82. However, apart of Neapolitan tradition. The
from the squat towers and the cloister was completed in 1623–9
Cappella Palatina (with by Cosimo Fanzago (the creator
Francesco Laurana’s Madonna of of Neapolitan Baroque) to the
1474 above the portal), most of 16th­century designs of Dosio.
the structure is Aragonese. The church and choir are other
The castle was the main royal examples of his virtuosity.
residence. In the Sala dei Baroni, Next to the Certosa,
Ferdinand I of Aragon brutally Castel Sant’Elmo, built from
suppressed the ringleaders The colourful and compact 1329–43 and rebuilt in the
of the Barons’ revolt of 1486. Quartieri Spagnoli 1500s, offers stunning views
The Aragonese were capable over the bay.
of violence, but they were also P Quartieri Spagnoli
patrons of the arts. Via Toledo (Roma) to Via Chiaia. E Museo Diego di Aragona
The triumphal arch of the The Spanish Quarter – the neigh­ Pignatelli Cortes
castle’s entrance (begun 1454) is bourhood west of Via Toledo, Riviera di Chiaia 200. Tel 081 66 96 75
theirs. Commemorating Alfonso sloping up to San Martino and or 081 761 23 56. Open 8:30am–7pm
of Aragon’s entry to Naples in Vomero – is one of the city’s most Wed–Mon (last adm: 6pm). Closed
1443, this ingenious application densely populated areas. It was 1 Jan, 1 May, 15 Aug. &
of the ancient triumphal arch named after the Spanish troops The Neo­Classical Villa Pignatelli,
design was worked on, in part, by who laid out its grid of narrow once home to the Rothschilds,
Laurana. The original bronze doors streets in the 1600s. While lively, houses this museum and its
by Guillaume le Moine (1468) are the area is strongly linked to the interesting collection of
in the Palazzo Reale. Part of the Camorra, the local mafia, and porcelain, period furniture,
castle houses the Museo Civico. outsiders soon realize they are paintings and sculpture.

The bold Castel Nuovo, with the triumphal arch entrance
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp576–7 and pp600–605

496-497_EW_Italy.indd 496 4/5/17 9:31 AM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2)
Date 14th November 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm