In his "Rome, Naples et Florence" Stendhal likened the historic importance of Naples ("the most beautiful city of the universe") to that of Paris. The ancient history of this magnificent Southern Italian city is even more turbulent and exciting than that of modern day Naples. A tour of the city's museums offers the perfect introduction to the various historic periods to have contributed to Naples' fame, as well as the opportunity to admire some of the capital of Campania's most stunning buildings.
The National Archaeological Museum contains one of the world's most important collections of antiquities. Situated within easy reach of Piazza Dante, the museum occupies the immense palace of Don Pedro Giron, viceroy of Naples from 1582 to 1586. Within the halls of this splendid edifce we find the mosaics of the Roman villas of Capri, Pozzuoli, Torre del Greco and Stabia, statues from Hercolaneum and the votive niches of Peastum. The museum is comprised of four sections, dedicated to the artefacts from Pompei, the Farnese collection of artworks, the prehistoric findings from Flegrea and a collection of pottery, ceramic vases and bronze works.
Even more important in terms of the city's artistic heritage, the National Museum and Galleries of Capodimonte are home to more than 1700 works of art, from the baroque masterpieces by Caravaggio to pieces of pop art Andy Warhol. The museum is situated within the Palazzo Reale, palace commissioned by Carlo III in 1738 so as to provide an elegant showcase for the works inherited from his mother, Elisabetta Farnese, Queen Consort of Spain and last descendent of the Duchy of Parma. In the 1950's the National Museum was purchased by the Italian state who authorised the addition of the National Galleries.
From its position on the hill of Vomero, the recently restored Charterhouse of San Martino enjoys commanding views over the city of Naples below. The Church, a highly decorative work of baroque architecture, faces on to a courtyard realised by Giovanni Antonio Dosio. Cosimo Fanzago's Monks Cemetery, with its elaborate funereal motifs, is a particularly impressive sight. The museum is divided in sections dedicated to the history of the Neapolitan theatre, popular traditions, and the wonderfully detailed nativity scenes for which the city is famous.
Castel Sant'Elmo sits immediately above the Charterhouse of San Martino. Impenetrable penitentiary in which to incarcerate the enemies of the Kingdom of Naples and last refuge during the Masaniello uprisings, the Belforte, as it was originally called, is the city's most prominent landmark. Erected in 1329 by Robert of Anjou, in 1537 the castle was rebuilt by the Spanish viceroys in the form of a six pointed star. Today, after the completion of extensive restoration work, nearly all of the spaces within the castle are open to the public, including the lodgings for military personnel and the Church of Sant Esamo in which to find the tomb of Martino Galiano, who defended the fortress during the 17th century insurrection.
On Naples' panoramic Riviera di Chiaia, Villa Pignatelli is home to the Diego Aragona Pignatelli Cortes Museum. Here, in what was once the residence of Sir Ferdinand Robert Acton, visitors can admire the enamels of Capodimonte, 18th century porcelains, bronze statues and crystalware all once belonging to the various aristocratic families to have lived here over the centuries. In the 1950's, Princess Rosina Pignatelli donated the villa and its gardens to the Italian state, so as to leave the city a Museum in honour of her late husband.
The ancient Aragon Castello di Baia, situated on the promontory overlooking the Bay of Pozzuoli, provides the impressive venue for the Campi Flegrei Archeological Museum. This is where to observe archaeological findings from the whole of the Campania region and, in particular, from the Campi Flegrei, an area of volcanic origin famous for its thermal springs. The museum houses the Gessi di Baia, fragments of the plaster casts used in Roman times to create copies of famous Greek statues with which to embellish the villas of the noble classes. Other exhibits include the reconstruction of the Temple of the Augustali of Miseno, and a reproduction of Emperor Claudio's Nymphaeum (the original is housed in the Underwater Archaeological Park of Baiae).
