Naples Attractions

A landmark in the rebuilding of Naples, Galleria Umberto is probably the oldest shopping mall and by far one of the grandest in Southern Italy. The gallery was built starting from 1887 and it took four years to complete this cross-shaped building with its high and spacious glass vaults.

The Galleria is a result of the Risanemento (or resanitizing) of Naples. During the 1880s and 90s, the city was known for its squalor. The city needed a symbol of hope and prosperity after the ravages of Cholera and the overcrowding of the houses. The city officials rolled up their sleeves and started with widening the boulevard, destruction of slum areas found between Palazzo Reale and Spaccanapoli, arranging some of the elements of the city layout and this, the building of a grand Galleria. It is located near the center of the town.

Designed by the engineer Emanuele Rocco, the Galleria uses modern architectural touches and is inspired by Milan's Vittorio Emanuele II, which was built nine years earlier...

A walk through the Galleria Principe di Napoli (Prince of Naples Mall) is in itself a simple, yet sweet pleasure.

Ornate would be a one-word description of the Galleria Principe di Napoli. The combination of glass and iron is sheer poetry in architecture, especially for its time. The architects Giovanni De Novellis and Nicola Breglia were the ones who designed this 19th century shopping gallery.

Built between the years 1876 and 1883, Galleria Principe di Napoli arose as a response to the need to "re-sanitize" Naples. The town, which was just arising from the ravages of cholera, was in dire need of re-organization. The town has become overpopulated and overcrowded, with narrow streets and squalid houses being the norm. However, thanks to the efforts of Enrico Alvino, this part of Naples was redesigned to show its growth and progress as a town. Enrico Alvino was an Italian architect who was actively involved in the urban design of Naples in the mid-19th century...