Galleria Borbonica
Napoli (NA)
FamousHistory & archaeology
The story
Un tunnel voluto da Ferdinando II come via di fuga dalla reggia verso il mare, poi rifugio di guerra e deposito di auto: la Napoli borbonica scavata nel tufo.
Access
Solo visita guidata, su prenotazione · da riverificare
The story
The Bourbon Tunnel (Galleria Borbonica) is a tunnel dug into the tuff beneath the hill of Pizzofalcone, willed in 1853 by Ferdinand II of Bourbon to a design by Errico Alvino: it was to connect the Royal Palace to the Chiaia area and the sea, as an escape route for the royal family in case of revolts. It remained unfinished; in the twentieth century it was an air-raid shelter and then a judicial impound for vehicles.
What to see
A route in the subsoil among galleries, cisterns of the ancient aqueduct and enormous spaces, where vintage cars and motorcycles seized and left there for decades still pile up, and the traces of the Neapolitans sheltered during the bombing: one of the most evocative descents into hidden Naples.
Tips
It is visited only with a guided tour, on several routes (some even by raft on the water): book and check hours and itineraries on the official site. The entrances are in the Chiaia area (via Domenico Morelli) and near Piazza del Plebiscito (Vico del Grottone). Cool spaces with steps; not suitable for those who suffer from claustrophobia.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Bourbon Tunnel?
A nineteenth-century tunnel dug into the tuff beneath Pizzofalcone, willed by Ferdinand II of Bourbon in 1853 as an escape route from the Royal Palace towards the sea; later a wartime shelter and a vehicle impound.
What can you see in the Bourbon Tunnel?
Galleries and cisterns in the subsoil, vintage cars and motorcycles seized and abandoned for decades, and the traces of the air-raid shelters of the Second World War.
How do you visit the Bourbon Tunnel?
Only with a guided tour on different routes (some by raft on the water), to be booked; the entrances are at Chiaia (via Domenico Morelli) and near Piazza del Plebiscito.
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