If you have found a vacation rental in Campania and want to spend some time exploring the city of Naples, you were probably expecting to stay above ground. However, doing so would make you miss out on one of the most extraordinary attractions that the city has to offer, the Catacombs of San Gennaro. These incredible passageways are an astounding sight to behold and a must for anyone who really wants to experience all that Naples has to offer.
Located in the northern part of the city, on the slope leading up to Capodimonte, under the Rione Sanità neighbourhood of Naples, the catacombs can be readily found today by heading to the entrance at the large church of Madre del Buon Consiglio. Spread over two levels, called San Gennaro Superiore and San Gennaro Inferiore, the catacombs are often referred to as the “Valley of the Dead” and date back to the 3rd of 4th century, though are likely built over older pre-Christian burial sites.
Located in the northern part of the city, on the slope leading up to Capodimonte, under the Rione Sanità neighbourhood of Naples, the catacombs can be readily found today by heading to the entrance at the large church of Madre del Buon Consiglio. Spread over two levels, called San Gennaro Superiore and San Gennaro Inferiore, the catacombs are often referred to as the “Valley of the Dead” and date back to the 3rd of 4th century, though are likely built over older pre-Christian burial sites.
Considered the most significant paleo-Christian ruins in Italy south of Rome, the catacombs were actually once three different cemeteries, dedicated, to San Gaudioso, San Severo, and San Gennaro respectively but are now entangled and known collectively as the Catacombs of San Gennaro. It gained a reputation as an important religious burial site after Bishop Agrippinus of Naples was laid to rest there and was also where St Januarius (Gennaro) under whose name it was consecrated, though his remains were later moved to the nearby Cathedral of Naples.
Admired for the length of time that they were used, which stretched right up to the 10th century, and the well-preserved fresco cycles in the corridors and chapels, which were executed from the 2nd to the 10th centuries, these extraordinary catacombs are truly an extraordinary sight to behold. They have been carefully restored after centuries of damage and looting and can be visited today for their own historic interest and value, as well as for special events like theatrical musical performances, which are sometimes held on site. If you are exploring this part of Italy, you should really pencil in some time to see them for yourself.
Catacombs of San Gennaro
Via Capodimonte, 13, 80100 Napoli NA, Italy
+39 081 744 3714
Tickets:
Adults - €9.00
Under 18 - €5.00
Students/Over 65/Security forces - €6.00
Under 6 – Free
Disabled visitors – Free (Accompanying person €6.00)
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm
Sunday from 10am to 2pm
Admired for the length of time that they were used, which stretched right up to the 10th century, and the well-preserved fresco cycles in the corridors and chapels, which were executed from the 2nd to the 10th centuries, these extraordinary catacombs are truly an extraordinary sight to behold. They have been carefully restored after centuries of damage and looting and can be visited today for their own historic interest and value, as well as for special events like theatrical musical performances, which are sometimes held on site. If you are exploring this part of Italy, you should really pencil in some time to see them for yourself.
Catacombs of San Gennaro
Via Capodimonte, 13, 80100 Napoli NA, Italy
+39 081 744 3714
Tickets:
Adults - €9.00
Under 18 - €5.00
Students/Over 65/Security forces - €6.00
Under 6 – Free
Disabled visitors – Free (Accompanying person €6.00)
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm
Sunday from 10am to 2pm
Photo credit: Dominik Matus / CC BY-SA 4.0
