Napoli, truly Italy
Napoli or Naples, whose name in Greek is Neapolis (i.e. "new city"), is Italy's second largest metropolis. Having been conquered in the past by the Goths, Byzantines, Lombards, Normans, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese, Spaniards, Austrians, Bourbons and the revolutionary French, Naples has become a hodgepodge of cultures. The influence of all these past conquerors are apparent in the many works of art and arcitecture in the city that have survived to modern times. The multicultural appeal can also be seen in the other wonders of the ancient city, a number of which are listed below.
Pizza Napoletana. Forget New York pizza; Naples is the traditional home of the original pizza. Authentic Neapolitan pizzas are made using indigenous ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes, which are grown in the volcanic plains of the Vesuvius volcano, and Mozarella di Bufala Campana, a cheese made from the milk of water buffalos raised in the Campana and Lazio regions. There are two recognized varieties of the Pizza Napoletana; namely, the Pizza Marinara, which has tomato, garlic, basil, oregano, and extra virgin olive oil as toppings, and the Pizza Margherita, which was named after Queen Margherita of Italy. A genuine Neapolitan pizza -- or as they say in Naples, la vera pizza -- is also only cooked in wood-burning ovens.
Canterbury Ristorante. This well-appointed restaurant is located along Via Asencione, a high-end, fashionable street. Insiders say that its cozy, intimate atmosphere makes you feel like you're in an Italian grandmother's dining room. It serves classic and authentic Neapolitan dishes, including linguini with shrimp, veal with lemon, and mixed seafood. In addition, their custard and gelato desserts are also famous, and people say they nothing short of heavenly!
Castel Nuovo. "The New Castle," also known as the Maschio Angioino, is the main symbol of Naples' rich architectural and historical past. The ancient fortress, built upon the order of Charles I of Anjou in the 13th century, also features the beautiful triumphal arch entrance, which was designed by Francesco Laurana in 1442 to celebrate the rise of the Aragonese Dynasty. Don't worry; even though it looks it, there are no dragons there!
Pietrarsa Railway Museum. Have you ever dreamed of seeing a beautiful, gleaming steam engine like Hogwarts Express? In Naples, your dream can come true. Sure, you'll never get to ride a magical train like Harry Potter did, but your experience at the Pietrarsa Railway Museum at the San Giorgio a Cremano will still be remarkable. The museum's collection includes original engines as well as scale models depicting the history of trains in Italy. It even has the Bayard, Italy's first locomotive, which started operating in 1838.
Campi Flegrei. Beneath Naples is an underground geothermal zone called the Campi Flegrei ("the fiery fields"). Aside from being fed by the famous volcano, Vesuvius, the extensive cave and underground system is also known for being the site of past mining and quarrying activities that lasted over several cenyuries. You can actually tour parts of the Campi Flegrei, and there is even a museum located in the area that runs beneath Piazza Cavour. The museum contains elaborate replicas of Greek hypogea and many other ancient artifacts discovered in the last 50 years.
Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli. The Naples National Archeological Museum is the place to be if you're the history-lovin' type. The museum contains an extensive collection of Roman artifacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum (the tragic Vesuvian cities), Greek and Egyptian relics, as well as works from the Renaissance period.
Cathedral of Naples. The grand and beautiful Cathedral of Naples, the main church of the city, is dedicated to San Gennaro, the city's patron saint. The church keeps a vial of the Saint's blood, which that they bring out twice a year. Based on a rather grisly legend, if the saint's blood fails to liquefy, something bad will happen to Naples!
History, art, architecture, and gastronomy -- you name it, Naples has it. Make sure to discover them all!
About the Author
You can read more of the author's articles at justtransiting.blogspot.com.
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