Visiting timetable06:00 AM – 11:00 PM
|Tuesday, February 10, 2026Napoli Sotterranea & Catacombe, Naples, Italy
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architecture
Reading Underground Naples: Hidden Rooms and Boreholes
Understand the architecture of underground Naples — rooms, tunnels, boreholes, cistern bridges, and inspection shafts.
2/10/2026
12 min read
Vocabulary
- Cunicoli: narrow passages.
- Pozzi: shafts/boreholes.
- Cisterne: cisterns for water storage.
Anatomy
- Shafts deliver air/light and access for maintenance.
- Bridges span cisterns to reach all surfaces.
Try this: Look for tool marks around pozzi — signs of repeated work.
Visitor Map (Mental Model)
| Element | Placement | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Tunnel | Between rooms | Movement, distribution |
| Shaft | Vertical | Inspection, airflow |
| Bridge | Inside cistern | Maintenance access |
Bottom Line
Once you learn the vocab, the underground becomes legible.
About the Author
Naples Underground Guide
I wrote this guide to make your underground Naples day clear, safe, and deeply enjoyable—with local context, small tips, and a gentle pace.
Tags
Tunnels
Rooms
Boreholes
Architecture
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