Piazzetta Nilo, the body of Naples

About this activity

Piazzetta Nilo, is a characteristic and historically rich place in the city of Naples. Located in the Lower Decumanus, commonly called the Spaccanapoli, within walking distance of two other important hubs in the historic center of Naples, St. Dominic's Square and the Largo Corpo di Napoli.

Nile Square is not only a place that speaks of history but also a meeting place for young people, where they can go out in the evenings in Naples to have a drink or a bite to eat while enjoying streetfood from one or more of the many bars in the area.

Why visit Nile Square

In this Piazzetta, named after the river Nile, arises the Church of St. Angelo in Nilo also called Brancaccio Chapel, for inside it rests Cardinal Rinaldo Brancaccio, in the tomb made by Donatello in collaboration with Michelozzo, who wanted its construction between 1385 and 1401.

We also find the Pignatelli Palace of Toritto, built in 1499 at the behest of Cesare Pignatelli, Baron of Orta and Toritto, in the Renaissance style, which was later restored in the Baroque style in 1736.

Another important building that stands here is the Panormite Palace, wanted by the famous Italian scholar Antonio Beccadelli, known precisely as "The Panormita" meaning Palermo; a palace of important architectural interest also built in the Renaissance style. Last but not least, we find the De Sangro Palace, a historic palace in Naples built by Giovanni Sangro of the Dukes of Vietri and his wife Andreanna Dentice in 1506, characterized by a portal in piperno and ashlars.

The most important things to know about Nile Square.

Formerly called Bisi Square, from 'mpisi i.e., hanged, as it was traversed by condemned prisoners headed for the gallows, today owes its name to the Statue of the God Nile also called the Body of Naples erected by the Alexandrian community to honor their origins: the city of Naples about two thousand years ago, and in particular the area of Piazzetta Nilo, was an area of settlement of the Alessandrini, with their dwellings and workshops.

Piazzetta Nilo has thus gone from being a place of transit for convicts, to being a place of development for the Alexandrian community to now becoming a place of cultural interest and a destination for going out on a Saturday night in Naples to eat or have a drink with friends.

The statue of the God Nile

The Statue of the God Nile, which has become an emblem of the Piazza and the city of Naples, depicts the goddess lying down, holding a cornucopia adorned with flowers, a symbol of the fertility of the River Nile with her children drinking from her breast beside her.

The sculpture disappeared and was found without a head in the 15th century; in fact, at first it was not thought of as a man, but as a city mother suckling her children, which is why it was called "O' cuorpo e Napule." It was later realized that it was a Roman copy and was later restored in the 600s. Lost and found without a head, then restored with the addition of the cornucopia and a small Sphinx head and relocated to the square.

In 1953 the Sphinx's head was stolen only to be found in 2013 in Austria and returned to the historic center of Naples. Despite everything, after two thousand years the statue is still there, where it was placed by the Alexandrians