Castel dell'Ovo

The castle of the egg does not get its name from its shape. Nor is the castle made from eggs as some may think. It actually owes its name to a medieval legend that the poet Virgil, who was also considered a wizard, hid an egg inside an amphora. An amphora is a two handed jar that Greeks and Romans used to transport water or wine. This particular amphora was said to have been hung from a truss of a coffin hidden beneath the castle. The legend says that should the egg break, the castle and the city of Naples will be cursed for years.

The Castel dell’Ovo rises on the islet of Megaride. It has a long and rather bloody history having played a role in quite a number of wars. The land it sits on has been considered a prime spot and has served as the foundation for many structures.

Megaride was the 1st settlement by Greek colonists. During the 1st century BC the islet was owned by roman patrician Lucius Licinus Lucullus. He had a magnificent villa built here.

After his death, the villa became property of the Roman Empire. It was then used as a prison for some of the Emperor’s family during the numerous fights for succession taking place. Romulus Augustus, the last emperor, was imprisoned here.

Then in the 5th century Basilian monks came to live here and founded the monastery dedicated to San Salvatore. The monk’s refectory to this day is a site to see when one visits the castle. The church also survives to this day.

For a time the Byzantines controlled the area but not for long. Under the Dukes, the monks were expelled and a garrison was put into place. When the Normans occupied Naples, they chose to expand the garrison into a palace. High towers were placed on the fort, the tallest of which was called Normandy.

When the Angevin came to power, they used the castle to house the Royal Treasure and the financial tribunal for collecting taxes. The Aragonese maintained it as a military center though they took down the towers, which were no longer useful at this point.

The next to take over the Egg castle were the French. Charles VII bombed the castle during his famous “descent into Italy” using pizzofalcone as an outpost. By 1503 King Louis XII of France occupied the castle, though not for long. It transferred to the Spaniards in the same year.

It was under the Spanish that the look of Castel dell’Ovo came to be as it is today. They had it repaired after it had taken so much damage during the various sieges. Though it has never been as strong since, and is constantly under repair.

The Castel dell’Ovo has a colourful past that will truly enthrall history and architecture students. The structure shows signs of each period of its occupation. Though not all of the castle is accessible, one can still get a sense of its deep history and the beauty of Naples just by walking through the castle and gazing out at the beautiful Naples panorama.

Address: Borgo Marinaro, Naples, Italy
Phone Number: 081 764 05 90
Cost of Entry: Free
Opening Hours: 9.00am-6.00pm Mon-Fri, 9.00pm-1.00pm Sat-Sun