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1h
Deutsch, English, Espanol, Francais, Italiano
Unlimited
Neighborhood
Suitable for children
Suitable for couples
Pets allowed
Parking available
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Language supports
Borgo Orefici, the golden heart of Naples, is a characteristic Neapolitan suburb between Corso Umberto and Via Marina: here the ancient Neapolitan goldsmith's art began and all the oldest and most important city workshops specializing in the craftsmanship of gold, silver and jewelry products can be found. Borgo Orefici is the first talking neighborhood: there are plaques with audio guides. This magnificent cultural operation is the work of Storie di Napoli, which is also making some for the Vomero neighborhood. Find the contents of the talking license plates also on MoveryAR, our app that allows you to visualize points of interest around you.
Naples' greatest medieval heritage can be found at Borgo Orefici where the same craft stores have been handed down from generation to generation for more than 700 years. Discover it with us starting from Carlo Troya Square.
Small village square, once the site of the Genoa Loggia, is graced by the historic Fish Stone Fountain, which unfortunately has lost its splendor over the years: it originally housed some statues by sculptor John Vincent Casali then replaced with harpies and fish, however, it was brutally destroyed after the war and today we can only admire its triangular basin and its staircase.
Founded by the Benedictines in the 12th century, it is a valuable witness of Romanesque architecture in Naples: chronicles the historical and cultural evolution of the city. It is so called because it originally stood on the shoreline and is dedicated to the worship of St. John the Baptist. Inside we can admire a copy of one of the city's most fascinating monuments, Donna Marianne, said 'a capa 'e Napule, sculpture found in the 600s: it was initially associated with the Siren Parhenope, symbol of the city but actually represents Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty. The original work is located in Town Hall Square. It is mainly built with tufa: we can admire decorations of Arab and Byzantine taste, ogival vaults, and thanks to many restorations, numerous styles that blend perfectly with each other.
In the area of Piazza Mercato is one of the oldest buildings in Naples from the Angevin period, the Church of Sant'Eligio Maggiore. Built in 1270, the structure we see today is very different from the original, the result of restoration and remodeling over time, surviving wars, earthquakes and fires: it is possible to admire modern and medieval materials in a complex architectural system.
It was in this very square that goldsmiths received their first official recognition by Joan I of Anjou: After the guild was established, throughout the 1500s and 1600s, goldsmiths melted gold outside the stores to ensure the purity and quality of the materials in the presence of representatives of the guild. Here the City of Naples has dedicated a plaque to the legendary Neapolitan goldsmith Matthew Treglia, a great master who, in 1713, on commission adorned the bust of San Gennaro with the Mitra: 3694 precious stones, 358 diamonds and 43 emeralds on a gold and silver base. Even today it is still a priceless jewel, a testament to the excellence of Neapolitan goldsmith art.
The symbol of Goldsmiths' Square is the Wooden Crucifix which we find in the center: it was built at the behest of Robert's family in the 18th century after a plague epidemic, and its special feature is the possibility of admiring the sacred effigy from both sides of the cross. It is located under a cover of wrought copper, supported by a reinforced concrete base with symbols of the Passion of Christ and the Goldsmiths' Guild. Legend tells of a precious stones merchant, Francesco di Roberto and his brother who suffered from asthma: on a sultry day they went for a carriage ride through the countryside of Afragola and stopped in front of a Crucifix in a lonely lane when suddenly the brother felt better and from that moment the asthma attacks disappeared. So the two brothers brought the statue to the village and placed it in the central square.
In a side street of the square is the Portal with mask, made of piperno around the 17th century: the mascaron that characterizes him is a human face with very pronounced and almost monstrous features that recalls the world of the grotesque and superstition. He has the task of exorcising and protecting the residents of the palace by keeping evil spirits away.
Dedicated to the apostle Andrew, it dates from the 16th century and was a private chapel of the Gattoli family. Today it is one of the closed churches in Naples, and the facade has three orders: the first opens with a portal surmounted by a tympanum supported by pilasters and Ionic entablatures, the second has a round-headed window, and in the third the chancel opens. It has a central plan and today we can admire decorations in the Rococo style since the original decorations were destroyed during the renovation.
When in the Middle Ages, the queen Joan of Anjou officially recognized the goldsmiths' workshops, the artisans gathered their activities in this very area and the Goldsmiths' Guild was born. The first masters were the French, but local artisans soon succeeded even better than they did with the characteristic stubbornness, inventiveness and imagination of the Neapolitans. In the 17th century, the viceroy Marquis del Caprio sanctioned that that area should be devoted exclusively to the art of silversmiths and goldsmiths: special jewelry, worked silverware and sacred furnishings were made. Between 1890 and 1903 the urban redevelopment of the Naples Redevelopment changed it: alleys and buildings both civil and religious were demolished to create wider streets. Today a real consortium has been created, the Consorzio Antico Borgo Orefici, which brings together all the businesses in the village with the aim of enhancing the ancient goldsmith art of Naples. Today their storefronts also feature prestigious brands of international prominence.
Even today, it is still possible to learn the art of goldsmithing in the neighborhood: the La Bulla school prepares the next generation of goldsmiths who will be able to make many wonderful pieces of jewelry just as artisans once did for our great-grandparents: from conception to realization, it is a wonderful opportunity for young people who want to engage in the handicrafts of yesteryear.
With Movery you always have a digital assistant at your side. Before booking we are at your disposal to clarify any doubts, after booking we will send you all the partner's information with which you can define the last little details. Don't worry until the experience is completed (and even during) our assistant will be there to resolve any unforeseen issues and clarify any doubts.
