The Bourbon Gallery
The Bourbon Tunnel, already renamed Bourbon Gallery, takes its name from King Ferdinand II of Bourbon who in 1853 started its realization in order to create a secret connection between the Royal Palace and Piazza Vittoria, close to the sea and the barracks, so as to allow a safe and fast escape to the King in case of danger, given the risks that occurred during the revolutionary movements of the 1848.
The works lasted three years and were carried out exclusively by hand with picks, hammers and wedges, and with lighting provided only by torches and candles. The 25 May of 1855 there was the inauguration of the Bourbon Tunnel with the passage of Ferdinand II of Bourbon, but then remained open to the public for only 3 days. The gallery closed definitively for economic reasons and for the decadence of the Bourbons with the arrival of the unification of Italy.
The Bourbon Gallery returned useful again During the Second World War, between the 1939 and the 1945, when its tunnel and the adjacent cisterns were used as war shelter of citizens. Thanks to this secret route they found refuge between the 5.000 and the Neapolitan 10.000, many of whom had lost their homes during the bombings suffered by the city of Naples by both the Allies and the Germans.
After the war and up to 1970 the gallery was used as Municipal Judicial Deposit and it served to store everything that had been extracted from the rubble caused by the bombings, but also everything that was recovered from collapses, evictions and seizures, such as motor vehicles and cars.
Only in the 2005 the gallery was reconsidered by geologists who began to dig into the underpass, gradually finding different environments and succeeding in the 2010 to reopen the structure to the public.
Today the Galleria Borbonica is one of the most fascinating and suggestive tourist attractions of the city of Naples, where visitors can choose between 4 paths.
The paths of the Bourbon Gallery
Standard path
You can walk inside the gallery spaces and immerse yourself in an extraordinary journey in Naples "below". The visit includes the cavities that were part of the aqueduct cisterns and those used during the war as a shelter for war.
Adventure path
We will visit the gallery on board a raft to navigate on an old tunnel of the Rapid Transit Line built at the end of the 80 years. Also here you can visit the ancient tanks of the '500 and' 600.
Speleo route
It is the longest and most exciting route. Visitors are given a helmet with frontal light, a suit and a harness to explore the tunnels of the ancient underground aqueduct.
The way of the Memories
An incredible and nostalgic journey in a Naples destroyed by the bombing of the war but that seems to be still alive through artifacts, relics and objects found by those who lived underground paths to protect their lives.
Information on the Galleria Borbonica in Naples
Standard path
Opening time
Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays
Start of visits: 10: 00 - 12: 00 - 15: 30 - 17: 30.
Duration: 1 15 hours and minutes
No reservation required unless the group is above the 20 units
Price tickets:
- 10 Euro / adult
- Free up to 10 years
- Reduced 5 Euro up to 13 years
Inputs:
• Vico del Grottone, n ° 4 (about 100 m from Piazza Plebiscito)
• Via Morelli, n ° 61 (pedestrian entrance of the Morelli car park)
Online ticket sales:
You can buy comfortably the online access ticket, just show it from your smartphone at the entrance
Adventure path
Opening time
Saturday and Sunday
Start time 10: 00 - 12: 00 - 15: 30
Duration: 1 20 hours and minutes
Price tickets:
- € 15,00 Euro / adult
- Reduced € 10,00 from 10 up to 15 years
- Accessibility: from 10 years onwards
Entrance: only from the pedestrian access of the Morelli car park, in via D. Morelli 61
A reservation is required.
Speleo Light route
Opening time
Saturday and Sunday
Start of 11 hours: 00 and 16 hours: 00
Duration: 2 hours and minutes 30
Price tickets: 15 Euro / adult
Entrance: only from via D.Morelli, 61
A reservation is required.
Path The way of memories
Opening time
Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays
Start of visits: 11.00 - 16.00 hours
Prezzi:
- 10 Euro / adult
- Free up to 10 years
- Reduced 5 Euro up to 13 years
Entrance: from Via Monte di Dio n ° 14 (Palazzo Serra di Cassano - Inside A14)
No reservation required
How to Get There:
Vico del Grottone entrance (Piazza del Plebiscito area)
By subway
1 line Town Hall or Toledo station
In funicular
Get off at the Piazzetta Duca d'Aosta stop
Entrance via Domenico Morelli, Morelli parking area (piazza Vittoria area)
By subway
- Line 1 Toledo station, take Via Chiaia on foot for 10 minutes to reach Piazza dei Martiri and then Piazza Vittoria
- Line 2 Piazza Amedeo station, along Via dei Mille (7 minutes), reach Piazza dei Martiri and then Piazza Vittoria (another 5 minutes)
In funicular
Funicular of Chiaia, along Via dei Mille (7 minutes), reach Piazza dei Martiri and then Piazza Vittoria (another 5 minutes)
Contacts
Tel: 366 248 4151 - 081 764 5808
Email: mail@galleriaborbonica.com
