Delving into the Mysteries and Legends of Napoli
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Let’s take a trip to seven places, each with a story, that will take us to the esoteric heart of Naples. You may have heard of ‘O’ Munaciello’, a figure from the Neapolitan legend whose ambiguity is similar to that of the city?
Naples is a frenetic city with a magnificent bay and great wonders for the tastebuds. There’s also 27 centuries of secrets hiding within its many layers of history. Beyond the must-see sites on the well-trodden tourist paths, there are stories and places in the city that test our view of reality. For those interested in what cannot be explained easily, Naples’ many curiosities are sure to have your goosebumps tingling.
1. The Munaciello: Guardian of the Subterranean City
You’ll find the Munaciello just about everywhere in Neapolitan stories. Most folks picture him as this little monk in a baggy robe, shuffling down dark hallways but honestly, that’s just the beginning. Naples is still kind of obsessed with him.
One popular theory connects the Munaciello to the pozzaro, an ancient caretaker of Naples’ water wells. These workers were typically small men who could navigate through the intricate network of underground tunnels that supplied water to various households. It was said that when they were not paid by their masters, the pozzari would take money and valuables for themselves and would often give these spoils to their mistresses. This duality of generosity and theft is captured in a local saying “sometimes he gives, sometimes he steals.”
Some say that the Munaciello is a little household demon, very mischievous, who goes about concealed in a dark cloak and appears only in the dusk and in the shade of the houses of Naples. He makes people suddenly rich by leaving money on the floor, or by bringing them good luck in their business; or else he takes away their jewels, pulls the bedclothes off at night, and does them all sorts of mischief. If you treat him with respect he will bless you; if you mock him he will be your worst enemy. If you are respectful to him, he will bless you; if not, he will bring you misfortune.
Another account tells that Munaciello was a poor deformed creature who had been born of love between a noble lady and her low-born lover. Here’s how the story goes: someone killed his father, so they hid the boy in a convent, figuring no one would notice a kid dressed like a monk. He grew up sneaking through shadows, climbing rooftops, slipping down alleys. He’d help people when they least expected it, sometimes leaving coins for the poor, then disappear before anyone could say thanks. After he died, people swore he never really left. Now, he’s this mysterious spirit—a tiny monk handing out rewards or misfortune, depending on how you act.
To some, the Munaciello pretty much sums up Naples itself. Generous one moment, unpredictable the next, always hiding something. Others swear he’s still out there, wandering under the city through old wells and crumbling tunnels, handing out luck or trouble as he pleases. One of the places that people still say he frequents is Villa Gallo, a 15th-century building located in the Colli Aminei area.
His image lingers in shops and key chains as a symbol of Naples’ split personality. Its light and shade, its fortune and trickery, its faith and fear.
2. The Monastery of Santa Chiara: Where a Queen’s Spirit Lingers
Now we’re heading to Piazza del Gesù, right in the middle of Naples’ old town. The square has its own secrets, with strange symbols carved into the Church of Gesù Nuovo’s front. But honestly, it’s the Monastery of Santa Chiara next door that really grabs you.
People show up for the art and those stunning majolica tiles in the cloister. But honestly, there’s more to it. People whisper about a ghost. Queen Giovanna d’Angiò, killed way back in 1382, supposedly still roams these halls. She never found peace. After the Church kicked her out, they stuck her in an unmarked grave by the monastery. No real burial, no rest so the story says she’s still wandering, looking for something she never got.
3. The San Severo Chapel: A Prince’s Alchemical Playground
Visiting the San Severo Chapel is an essential part of discovering the esoteric side of Naples. This museum is inextricably associated with Prince Raimondo di Sangro, the enigmatic figure from the 18th-century in Naples.
An alchemist, man of letters, inventor, anatomist, among many others, Prince Raimondo was long the subject of numerous rumors and legends. Stories claimed that his splendid palace was lit by unearthly lights, which would shine bright in the dark of night accompanying sounds of hammering from his palace resonating in the darkness. There are ominous tales about the Prince including stories of him fashioning chairs from the bones of seven cardinals, and clad their skin as the seat coverings.
He was also rumoured to possess the ability to reduce marble and metals to dust, a skill purportedly used to “petrify” the veil of Christ in the Veiled Christ sculpture. The sculptor, Giuseppe Sanmartino, was allegedly blinded by the Prince to prevent him from replicating the masterpiece.
The “anatomical machines” are another point of fascination. Legend has it that the bodies used in this work were those of two servants, a man and a pregnant woman, murdered to allow the Prince to experiment with new embalming methods.
4. The Church of Purgatory ad Arco: Cultivating Connections with the Departed
Walk a little way from the San Severo Chapel and you’ll hit Via Tribunali. That street oozes history, but honestly, two places steal the show. First up: the Church of Santa Maria del Purgatorio ad Arco. The place just dazzles. Baroque everything, gold everywhere, and art from big names like Luca Giordano and Andrea Vaccaro. It’s a lot to take in, but the real surprise? There’s a trapdoor tucked away inside. Go down there. The air changes. You’re in a dim crypt, staring at a nameless tomb chained in black.
In Naples, people always talk about how the line between life and death feels thin. You can feel it here. The “anime pezzentelle” are souls believed to be trapped in purgatory, unable to reach Heaven due to being buried without prayer or blessing. To aid these souls, a unique tradition emerged: the living “adopt” a skull, cleaning it, praying to it, and offering flowers. In return, the deceased is believed to grant a specific request.
The ritual here isn’t some old superstition people forgot about. It’s deep in Neapolitan life, people follow it even harder than they follow the saints no matter how much the Church tries to shut it down.
Inside the church, one soul gets special attention: Lucia. Her story hits different as they say she ended her life for love, so now folks come with flowers and drape her skull in a bridal veil, hoping she’ll help them find love too.
5. Naples Underground: A City Beneath a City
An interesting place on our unusual itinerary is Naples Underground (Napoli Sotterranea), a truly unique place in the world that discusses “the other Naples,” a different city that exists below the busy streets above.
The origins of these subterranean passages can be traced back to ancient Greece. The Greeks were the first to dig the tunnels and remove tuff for their building needs. The Romans expanded this area of tunnels for hydraulic purposes.
Over the course of Naples’ history, these underground tunnels have been utilised for a variety of purposes, including air-raid shelters during WWII.
Naples Underground is also tied to many myths and legends, including Munaciello, who is said to have lived in these tunnels for his mischievous exploits. Digging into this underground world isn’t just about uncovering the city’s hidden history. It also pulls back the curtain on all the strange, mystical energy that seems to hang over Naples.
Tours begin on Piazza San Gaetano 68, located on Via dei Tribunali, and last about 90 minutes.
6. Palazzo Penne: Where a Deal with the Devil Went Wrong
Returning to the Monastery of Santa Chiara, we walk the length of Via Santa Chiara to Via Donnalbina, where Palazzo Penne is located, and proceed onward with our esoteric tour of Naples.
A 15th-century palace, squeezed in between more contemporary structures, connects to a story about Beelzebub himself.
Antonio Penne, the builder of the palace and secretary to King Ladislaus, wished to court a certain woman who demanded a palace as her wedding present, built overnight. Penne struck a deal with the Devil to build the palace in return for his soul.
Cleverly, Antonio included a clause requiring the Devil to count the grains of wheat scattered in the palace courtyard before claiming his soul. Antonio sprinkled the grain with soil, making it impossible to count. The Devil was swallowed by a chasm that opened in the courtyard, imprisoned beneath Palazzo Penne.
Another version of the legend claims that Beelzebub escaped and arrived at Antonio’s wedding to claim his due.
7. Dracula’s Grave: A Transylvanian Mystery in Naples
The final stop is the Convent of Santa Maria la Nova, a short distance from Palazzo Penne.
Within the convent’s minor cloister lies the funerary monument of Count Matteo Ferrillo, the tutor of Alfonso of Aragon, who died in 1499. The connection to Dracula?
Matteo Ferrillo’s daughter-in-law was allegedly the daughter of Vlad Tepes, better known as Dracula. She was sent to Italy to protect her from the Turkish invasions.
According to this version of the story, when Count Dracula was imprisoned by the Turks, his daughter Maria ransomed him and brought him to Naples. He died there and was buried in the Ferrillo family tomb.
Supporting this theory is the presence of a dragon, Vlad’s symbol, adorning the tomb, along with two sphinxes never before seen on a European tomb. Scholars from Italy and the University of Tallinn have investigated this mystery, finding the possibility that Dracula’s grave is indeed located in Naples to be plausible.
Visiting Essentials
Piazza San Gaetano 69, Napoli. Tours last about ninety minutes and reveal the ancient aqueducts beneath the city.
Via Francesco de Sanctis 19, Napoli. Home to the Veiled Christ and the works of Prince Raimondo di Sangro.
Via Santa Chiara 49, Napoli. A peaceful retreat in the city centre, known for its cloisters and whispered legends.
Via dei Tribunali 39, Napoli. Visitors can explore both the ornate church and the haunting crypt below.
Piazzetta Teodoro Monticelli 121, Napoli. Currently under restoration, but the courtyard remains a point of fascination for local guides.
Convent of Santa Maria la Nova
Piazza S. Maria la Nova 44, Napoli. Entry includes access to the cloisters and the supposed resting place of Count Dracula.
