Naples, or Napoli in Italian, is the capital city of the
Campania region and the province of Naples in the south of Italy. It has a location of
outstanding natural beauty by the
Bay of Naples and with
Mount Vesuvius as a striking but always potentially menacing neighbor.
Nearly 3,000 years ago the Greeks made Naples their new city -
Neapolis. Later the Romans made the whole region their own special campania - often prefixed with the word
felix, calling it their
‘happy land’. Virgil, the poet of the Roman empire, is said to be buried
in the city’s Parco Virgiliano.
The city’s political
history is rather
complex. After Roman times Naples has been dominated by Goths, Byzantines, Lombards, Normans, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese, Spaniards, Austrians, Bourbons and revolutionary French, all of which have left traces in its culture and cityscape.
In 1266 the city became the
capital of the
Kingdom of Sicily, and after the Congress of Vienna in the aftermath of the Napoleonic wars, it became the capital of the united
Kingdom of Two Sicilies. Only with the unification of Italy and the establishment of the Italian state did Naples become an ordinary Italian city.
For much of the period from the Italian unification until the present day, however, Naples has been a
troubled city, ridden with
crime, poverty, corruption and extremely
bad waste management - something that has at times turned the city itself into a dump.
And while in the 18th century Naples was a
prime destination for
Grand Tour travelers, the city has struggled to regain the old allure, lagging behind many other Italian destinations in terms of visitor numbers.
The times are changing, however, for Naples is now making strides in recovering its eminence as a cultural center. In 1995 its historic center was declared a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO, and increasingly tourists are rediscovering this beautiful city with its
vibrant, energetic and at times
chaotic life.Because of its tangled history Naples has an extremely
rich heritage, given expression in its fascinating and extraordinarily
urban architecture, and it has an amazingly
complex culture. Add to that its
culinary wealth (from the huge pizzas to the fresh seafood) and it is hardly surprising that tourists are again being seduced and mesmerized by this
jewel on Italy’s
Mediterranean coast.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
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Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
Related Italy Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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