Piazza del Plebiscito
centro
FamousHistory & archaeology
The story
The great square opens between the colonnade of the basilica of San Francesco di Paola and the Palazzo Reale: a hemicycle, equestrian statues and an emptiness that in Naples is close to a miracle.
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The story
Piazza del Plebiscito is the great open-air hall of Naples: about twenty-five thousand square metres, among the largest in Italy. It took its name from the plebiscite of 1860 that sanctioned the annexation to the Kingdom of Italy, and took on its present appearance with the colonnade willed in the Napoleonic era and the basilica of San Francesco di Paola.
What to see
The square is closed on one side by the Royal Palace and on the other by the colonnaded hemicycle with the church of San Francesco di Paola, inspired by the Pantheon. It is the ceremonial heart of the city, a space for great concerts and events, and a starting point for the monumental centre.
Tips
It is a place of passage and of rest, always accessible: from here via Toledo sets off, and a few steps away are the Royal Palace, the San Carlo and the Galleria Umberto. A Neapolitan classic: crossing it with your eyes shut, trying to reach the palace door between the two horses.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called Piazza del Plebiscito?
From the plebiscite of 1860 with which the South sanctioned the annexation to the Kingdom of Italy.
What faces onto Piazza del Plebiscito?
The Royal Palace and, opposite, the colonnaded hemicycle with the basilica of San Francesco di Paola, inspired by the Pantheon.
Where is Piazza del Plebiscito?
In the centre of Naples, at the end of via Toledo, between the seafront and the Royal Palace.
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