Conradin's execution in 1268
The last Hohenstaufen king, aged sixteen.
Il Demiurgo — Public domain · Il Demiurgo, modified by User:Filnik. — Public domain · Baku — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Domenico Gargiulo — Public domain
A wide square east of old Naples, for centuries both the city's main market and the place of its public executions. That combination of functions was the rule rather than the exception in European cities: the market is where people gather, and an execution was meant to be seen. Here in 1268 Conradin was executed, the last of the Hohenstaufen kings, aged sixteen — a shocking event that ended an entire imperial line. And here in 1647 the revolt of Masaniello broke out against Spanish taxation, led by a young fishmonger who controlled the city for nine days before being killed. And here the leaders of the Neapolitan Republic were executed in 1799 after its fall. The square today is relatively quiet and less handsome than Naples's other squares — it was rebuilt after fire and bombing — but its historical weight exceeds its appearance. A public square, free to see.
The last Hohenstaufen king, aged sixteen.
A fishmonger who controlled Naples for nine days in 1647.
Rebuilt after fire and bombing, so it looks plainer.
East of the old city near the port
Santissima Annunziata Maggiore (Foundling Wheel)Set into a side wall of this complex is a narrow opening under a stone arch, and6 min walk
The Basilica of San Pietro ad AramA church east of Naples near the railway station, built on a site where local tr6 min walk
Museo FilangieriWhen Naples drove Via Duomo through the old centre in the 1880s, Palazzo Como st6 min walk
The Palaeontology MuseumA university palaeontology museum in Naples occupying the halls of the sixteenth8 min walk
The Doll HospitalIn 1895 Luigi Grassi painted backdrops for Naples theatres and puppet shows out 8 min walkA short-lived republic proclaimed in January 1799 with the backing of the French revolutionary army after the Bourbon king fled to Sicily. It was led by intellectuals and liberal nobles who wanted reforms on the French model, but failed to win the popular classes, who stayed loyal to king and church. It fell after five months when a peasant army under Cardinal Ruffo advanced, and more than a hundred of its leaders were executed — a shock that shaped Italian political thought for generations.
The central tourist areas are ordinary and busy by day and evening, and violent crime against visitors is low. The real problem is pickpocketing and the snatching of bags and phones from scooters. The practical rules: do not carry your phone in your hand on the pavement near the road, do not keep a wallet in a back pocket, and use a bag that closes and is carried in front. Avoid outlying districts at night if you do not know them.
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