Castel dell’Ovo

Castle Naples, Italy

The Castel dell'Ovo (castrum Ovi, in Latin), is the oldest castle in the city of Naples and is one of the elements that stand out the most in the famous panorama of the gulf. It is located between the districts of San Ferdinando and Chiaia, facing via Partenope. Due to various events that partially destroyed the original Norman appearance and thanks to the subsequent reconstruction works that took place during the Angevin and Aragonese periods, the architectural line of the castle changed drastically until it reached the state it is in today.

Its name derives from an ancient legend according to which the Latin poet Virgil hid an egg in the dungeons of the building which would keep the entire fortress standing. Its breakage would have caused not only the collapse of the castle, but also a series of disastrous catastrophes for the city of Naples.