A Journey into the Heart of History and Poetry in Naples
The Park of the Tombs of Virgilio and Leopardi in Naples has been reopened to the public with a new and fascinating tour, inaugurated by the Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli. With this intervention, the Ministry is committed to restore the park its original splendor, recognizing its historical and cultural importance not only for the city of Naples, but for all of Europe. Giuli also announced the next step of the project: the restoration and reopening of the crypt, with an investment of 3 million euros from the Cohesion and Development Fund.
At the center of this evocative space stands the mausoleum in opus reticulatum, a monument that dates back to the first decades of the imperial age and which, although there is no certain archaeological evidence, is traditionally attributed to the great poet Publio Virgilio Marone. This identification, consolidated over the centuries, was made official in 1930 by the famous superintendent Amedeo Maiuri, who took care of the arrangement of the park and opened its doors to the public, conceiving the site as a romantic garden that combines ancient architecture with the beauty of the landscape, thus creating a perfect fusion between historical memory and urban decoration.
In 1939, the park also became home to the mausoleum of Giacomo Leopardi, whose remains were transferred from the church of San Vitale to Fuorigrotta. Today, the two great poets are commemorated with two epigraphs, which report verses from their works, chosen to resonate in tune with the spirit of the place.
But the park also holds other extraordinary treasures, such as the eastern entrance of the Neapolitan Crypt, a spectacular tunnel carved into the rock in Augustan times, perhaps designed by Lucio Cocceio Aucto, and a stretch of the aqueduct, which bear witness to the magnificence of Roman engineering.
The figure of Virgil has always had a particular fascination. Already a century after his death, as Pliny the Younger recounts, Silio Italico visited his tomb every year to pay homage to the poet. But it was in the Middle Ages that the tomb of Virgilio became a destination for literary pilgrimage: Petrarca, Boccaccio and Cino da Pistoia are just some of the illustrious visitors. Already in the 12th century, Virgil was depicted as a magician and protector of Naples, as attested by the “Chronicle of Parthenope”. Some legends recount that during the Norman conquest, the remains of Virgil were hidden in Castel dell’Ovo to prevent its desecration.
The new visit route, financed in part by PNRR, perfectly combines archaeology, nature and poetry. The restoration work has included the redevelopment of the historic green, inspired by the nineteenth-century romantic garden, and the restoration of the main monumental elements, including the mausoleum of Leopardi, the bust of Virgilio and the seventeenth-century edicola erected by Don Pedro d’Aragona. The new route is developed in two distinct but complementary itineraries: a botanical one, which reflects on the vegetal landscape as an instrument of poetic narration, and an historical-archaeological one, which guides visitors to the discovery of the main monumental testimonies of the park.
The botanical path is characterized by the inclusion of essences related to the imaginary Virgilian and Leopardian, such as laurel, cypress and broom, celebrated in the homonymous composition of Leopardi. Inclusivity is another fundamental aspect of the project: thanks to the collaboration with the University Service for Inclusion and Disability Activities of the University Sister Orsola Benincasa, A tactile section has been developed that allows even visually impaired visitors to enjoy the park experience.
The redevelopment of the Park of the Tombs of Virgilio and Leopardi represents an important opportunity for the city of Naples and for the entire Italian cultural heritage. Not only a recovery of a space symbol of classical culture, but also a meeting point between historical memory and the possibility of enjoying these places in a contemporary and inclusive way. The park, which is now open to the public free of charge, is a real cultural resource that contributes to the enhancement of cultural tourism in Italy and the internationalization of our heritage.
The Park of the Tombs of Virgil and Leopardi is not only a place that celebrates two of the greatest poets of western literature, but it also represents a crucial point in the cultural and spiritual history of Naples. Its long tradition of veneration of Virgil, linked to magical and popular beliefs, reflects a mystical aspect of the Neapolitan culture, which has its roots in antiquity and develops over centuries, making the Roman poet not only a literary figure, but also a symbol of the city. The reopening and enhancement of this park fits perfectly into a wider project of rediscovering and preserving the historical memories of Naples, a city that continues to be a cradle of art, culture and millenary traditions.
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