28 Interesting Facts About Naples, Italy (that you probably didn’t know!)
Naples is the 3rd largest city in Italy, located in southern Italy.
But did you know that Naples was the birthplace of the pizza? Or that the city is under threat of a massive supervolcano?
Learn more about this Italian city with these 28 interesting facts about Naples!
The Main Naples Facts
1. Naples means “New City”
The name of the city comes from ancient Greek Νεάπολις, or Neapolis.
This literally means New City, and the name has stuck until today.
2. Naples is the 3rd largest city in Italy
With a total area of 119 km² (46 square miles), Naples is a huge city.
It’s actually the 3rd biggest city in Italy, after Rome and Milan.
The Galleria Umberto I in Naples
3. There are catacombs that dates back from the 3rd century
Under the city of Naples, you’ll find catacombs, old burial sites located below the ground.
There are several catacombs: San Gennaro, San Severo and San Gaudioso.
The most famous ones are the San Gennaro catacombs, built in the 2nd century. They contain more than 2,000 burial coves, and 500 sarcophagi. If you’re up for a little adventure, you can even visit the catacombs!
4. The Naples Cathedral was built in the 13th century
The Naples Cathedral, also known as Duomo di Napoli, is the main church in the city.
Construction of this magnificent monument started in 1266, and it was finally completed in 1435, 169 years later.
Duomo di Napoli
5. The pizza was invented in Naples
This might be one of the best food facts about Napoli.
The pizza as we know it today was invented in Naples in the early 19th century.
6. The famous Margherita Pizza was named in Naples after Queen Margherita
To keep going with our Napoli facts about food, the famous Margherita pizza was also invented in Naples.
In 1889, pizzamaker Raffaele Esposito was asked to make a pizza for the Italian King Umberto I and his wife the Queen Margherita. He made a simple pizza, with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil.
This pizza was named after the queen, and the name has since stuck.
7. There are 7 castles in Naples
Naples is famous for its castles, and it was named “the city of the seven castles” in the past.
Indeed, there are 7 castles in this Italian city, which made it the city with the most castles in ancient history.
The castles remain to this day, and you can visit most of them. Here’s the list of the 7 castles in Naples:
- Castel dell’Ovo
- Castel Nuovo (also known as Maschio Angioino)
- Castel Capuano
- Castel Sant’Elmo
- Forte di Vigliena
- Castello del Carmine
- Castello di Nisida
Castel Nuovo in Naples
8. You can see the infamous Mount Vesuvius from Naples
Naples is located right next to Mount Vesuvius, the volcano who erupted in 79 AD and destroyed the city of Pompeii.
You can see the volcano from the city, and it acts as a reminder that life is ever so fragile.
9. Naples is the most densely populated city in Italy
While we saw above that Naples is only the 3rd largest city in Italy, it’s definitely the most densely populated.
Naples has the highest concentration of inhabitants per square kilometers, more than 3 times Rome’s.
Here are the numbers:
- Naples: 2,672 inhabitants/km²
- Milan: 2,026 inhabitants/km²
- Rome: 810 inhabitants/km²
10. The Central Funicular in Naples is one of the most used funiculars in the world
Naples is a hilly city, and classic transportation methods are not always the best.
This is why there are 4 funiculars in the city, to make commute easier.
The Central Funicular is the most recent one, and it was built on October 28th 1928, after 2 years of construction. It’s now of the most used funiculars in the world, and it carries more than 10 million passengers each year.
11. Naples is the capital of the Campania region
The city of Naples is the capital of the province Metropolitan City of Naples, even though it’s a special type of province.
But that’s not all: Naples is also the capital of the Campania region, the most populated region of Italy.
12. The city center is the largest in Europe
The historic center of Naples was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.
More than 10km² (3.8 square miles) were included in the area, which makes it the largest city center in Europe.
13. Naples wasn’t always part of Italy
Yes, Naples has always been located on the country we know today as Italy.
But the city wasn’t always part of Italy in the political sense.
Naples was historically part of the Kingdom of Sicily, an independent kingdom, since 1137.
It’s only in 1861 that Naples became part of the Kingdom of Italy, with the unification of Italy.
14. The city was founded 2,500 years ago in the 6th century BC
This is one of the history facts about Naples.
The history of Naples begins in the 7th century BC: the Greek came to Italy, and founded a new city called Parthenope.
In the 6th century BC, the Greeks re founded the city, naming it Neapolis, new city. Parthenope was then called Paleopolis, or Old City.
Even today, the inhabitants of Naples often refer to themselves as Partenopeans.
15. Pompeii and Herculaneum, 2 cities destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, are in the Metropolitan City of Naples
Do you know about Pompeii and Herculaneum?
These 2 cities are famous because they were destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, and were buried under several meters of ash.
Well, these 2 cities are located in the Metropolitan City of Naples and in fact, they make for a great day trip if you’re visiting Naples.
Ruins in Pompeii
16. Naples is under constant threat from a super volcano
Mount Vesuvius isn’t the only volcano threatening the city.
In fact, not farm from Naples is the Campi Flegrei, an extinct super volcano.
This super volcano is actually made of 24 craters, and the eruption could be an absolute disaster. For comparison, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius was a level 5 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index, while Campi Flegrei scores an all high 7.
17. The Port of Naples is one of the biggest passenger ports in Europe
Built on the bay of Naples, the Neapolitan city has a major harbor.
The Port of Naples is huge, and the main activity is passengers transportation: more than 6.5 million of passengers go through the the harbor each year, making the Port of Naples the 12th biggest passenger port in Europe.
18. The city was severely damaged by Allied bombing in World War II
Naples was an important city for Fascist Italy during World War II, and as such, it was one of the main targets for the Allies.
The city was the second most bombed city in Italy, after Milan, and it suffered 200 air raids.
Huge damages were sustained by the city, with more than 25.000 people killed, and the destruction of major monuments such as the Church of Santa Chiara (now rebuilt).
19. The National Archeological Museum of Naples is full of Greek & Roman treasures
If you love history, then you’ll love Naples.
The city is home to the Naples National Archeological Museum, a world famous museum: it’s full of Greek & Roman treasures, and you can easily spend hours in the museum!
20. Naples is the Italian city with the most Michelin Star restaurants
Naples is definitely the place to go if you’re a food lover. It’s the Italian city with the most Michel Star restaurants, with 24 of them.
Rome comes close second with 23 Michelin Star restaurants.
21. There used to be rivers in Naples
If you visit Naples today, the only body of water you’ll find is the sea. Ok, maybe swimming pools, too.
But in the past, there were rivers in Naples, and greeks were navigating the river on boats.
One of these ancient rivers is the Sebéto, from ancient Greek Sepheitos, “fast-flowing“.
They have since then been covered by construction, and you won’t find any river in Naples today.
22. The city is divided in 30 quarters
The city is very diverse, and there are plenty of different things to do and see in Naples.
You’ll find a different feel in all of the 30 different quarters of Naples, dividing the city in small areas.
These 30 quarters are grouped in 10 municipalities, known as Municipalità
23. There is a pizza festival: Pizzafest
Yep, I’m not kidding.
There’s an actual pizza festival in Naples, and it’s absolutely incredible!
The Pizzafest, also known as Pizza Village, happens every year, and it’s the largest celebration of pizza in the world, with more than 1 million visitors in 2018!
There’s pizza, of course (more than 100,000 pizzas in 10 days) and pizza contests, but also a wide variety of entertainment: cooking classes, conferences, concerts & live events.
24. The Camorra is the Neapolitan mafia
Naples is often associated with crime.
This is mainly due to the Camorra, the local Mafia based in Naples.
It’s one of the oldest criminal organizations in Italy, founded in the 17th century. To this day, there are about 57,500 estimated members.
A scene from the Camorra Law movie
25. The Capodimonte museum holds plenty of impressive masterpieces
There is another great museum in Naples, and it’s the Capodimonte Museum.
The museum has an impressive collection of art masterpieces, and it’s definitely not as crowded as the other Italian museums.
Inside, you can expect to find pieces by old masters such as Michelangelo, El Greco or Botticelli.
26. Neapolitan pastries are absolutely delicious
Ok I promise this is the last of the food facts on Naples Italy.
If you’re more into sweets, don’t worry there is something for you too in Naples.
Neapolitan pastries have a rich tradition, and they’re sure to satisfy your cravings.
Here are a few of the local pastries so that you know which ones to try when you’re in the city:
- Sfogliatella
- Torta Caprese
- Babà
- Zeppole di San Giuseppe
- Ricotta e Pera
27. Naples is dangerous for pedestrians
The streets in Naples are pretty narrow, and there’s often just enough space for a car to pass through.
However the drivers are pretty reckless, and they often drive insanely fast, whether in their car or in scooters.
You need to be careful when walking through the city, to be aware of the vehicles and stay safe.
A narrow street in Napoli
28. The famous “O Sole Mio” song is from Naples
And finally, this is the last of our Naples facts.
Do you know the “O Sole Mio” song? It’s an internationally-known song, written in Naples in 1898.
It was mostly made famous by Luciano Pavarotti, who recorded the song in 1980: O Sole Mio on Youtube
So there you have them, the 28 interesting facts about Naples Italy!
If you want to learn more about the city, keep reading for some general facts and info.
General Naples Italy Facts
You’ll find below a few general Naples Italy facts, to learn more about this Italian city:
- Name: Naples | Napoli (Italian) | Napule (Neapolitan)
- Province: Metropolitan City of Naples
- Region: Campania
- Land area: 119 km² / 46 square miles
- Population: 967,068
- Name of inhabitants: Napoletano | Neapolitan (English) | Partenopeo (surname)
- Website: Comune di Napoli
Where is Naples? Naples on a Map
Naples is a city located in the south of Italy: it’s south of Rome, and right above the Amalfi Coast.
Here you can see it on the map, to have a better understanding of where it is in Italy:
Naples Flag
More Facts!
Do you want even more facts about Italy?
Check out the following posts:
Or click here to see ALL the facts up on the blog! Spoiler alert: there is A LOT of them.
The Full List of 28 Naples Facts
- Naples means “New City”
- Naples is the 3rd largest city in Italy
- There are catacombs that dates back from the 3rd century
- The Naples Cathedral was built in the 13th century
- The pizza was invented in Naples
- The famous Margherita Pizza was named in Naples after Queen Margherita
- There are 7 castles in Naples
- You can see the infamous Mount Vesuvius from Naples
- Naples is the most densely populated city in Italy
- The Central Funicular in Naples is one of the most used funiculars in the world
- Naples is the capital of the Campania region
- The city center is the largest in Europe
- Naples wasn’t always part of Italy
- The city was founded 2,500 years ago in the 6th century BC
- Pompeii and Herculaneum, 2 cities destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, are in the Metropolitan City of Naples
- Naples is under constant threat from a super volcano
- The Port of Naples is one of the biggest passenger ports in Europe
- The city was severely damaged by Allied bombing in World War II
- The National Archeological Museum of Naples is full of Greek & Roman treasures
- Naples is the Italian city with the most Michelin Star restaurants
- There used to be rivers in Naples
- The city is divided in 30 quarters
- There is a pizza festival: Pizzafest
- The Camorra is the Neapolitan mafia
- The Capodimonte museum holds plenty of impressive masterpieces
- Neapolitan pastries are absolutely delicious
- Naples is dangerous for pedestrians
- The famous “O Sole Mio” song is from Naples
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