Borgo Santa Lucia
Encyclopedia
Borgo Santa Lucia is an historical rione
of Naples
, Italy
. The area rises around the street of the same name and takes that name from the parish sanctuary of Santa Lucia a mare, of which the presence is attested since the 9th century, on the river of the sea, in spite of legend that would have it founded by a granddaughter of Constantine I
.
, and via Chiatamone, all features of the Partenope promenade. It extends to the offices of the newspaper Il Mattino
, the so-called “Pallonetto of Santa Lucia” and the slopes of Mount Echia nearly to Monte di Dio. The area is bounded on the north and east by the Royal Palace
, the Molosiglio and via Cesario Console, anciently famous as "Rua of the Provenzali".
ever since the Greeks from Cumae
landed here to found the small market harbour of Falero, which later gave rise — between the beach, the islet of Megaride and the Pizzofalcone hill — to the polis Partenope
(from the siren who tried to enchant Ulysses
); later that town would be known as Palepoli (“old city”).
In the preimperial Roman age, general Lucullus
moved to the area and built his magnificent villa, known as Oppidum Lucullianum, to which the last Roman emperor Romulus Augustus
exiled to live out his days. In the imperial age the area became famous for its proximity to the platamoniae caves, where magic rituals were held and in which Petronius
set parts of his Satyricon
.
In the 7th century Saint Patricia from Constantinople
, directed towards the Holy Land
, was shipwrecked here and, according the legend, founded the sanctuary and decided to settle in Naples. In the Middle Ages, the zone decayed and the villa was converted into a monastery by Basilian monks who, during the period of the ducal age
, also managed the sanctuary. In the Norman age the monastery was transformed completely to become one of the best equipped fortresses guarding the gulf. In the Angevin age the close harbour was given in concession to the people of the Provençe
, the land of origin of the Angevin kings; the area became very important for them, militarily and commercially, and was known by the toponym of "Port of the Provenzali".
In 1588, the sanctuary was given in management to an order of nuns and, as result, was entirely rebuilt for wish of abbess Eusebia Minadoa. The Spanish viceroys, between 1500 and 1700, held the area in particular high regard and embellished it greatly; this included structures by the architect Domenico Fontana
beginning in 1599 that essentially transformed a village of fishermen and traders into one of the most prestigious areas of the city. With the arrival of the Bourbon dynasty, the lucìani (as the inhabitants of Santa Lucia are called) became intimates of the kings, serving as craftsmen and suppliers of the royal house. The area was a favorite goal of that brand of elite tourism associated with the so-called grand tour
. During that period the area hosted a famous casino that saw the presence of various celebrities such as Giacomo Casanova
and Alexandre Dumas
. The establishment was especially valued by the queen of Naples, Maria Carolina. A single wing of the building survives today as part of a university conference center.
The port of Santa Lucia was during the 1960 Summer Olympics
the Olympic harbor of the Dragon
sailboats. HRH Crown Prince Constantine
won the Gold medal in this event.
The port of Molosiglio was during the 1960 Summer Olympics
the Olympic harbor of the Star
and 5.5 Metre
sailboats.
regional government are located in Palazzo Santa Lucia, and the area is the site of the conference center of the University “Federico II "
and of the Cervantes Institute
of Spanish language and culture.
The area was home to admiral Francesco Caracciolo
, who served in the neapolitan navy and then was executed through hanging by admiral Nelson for his service to the Parthenopaean Republic
. His body, thrown into the sea, was recovered and is now interred in another famous church in the area, that of Santa Maria della Catena
, where an epitaph, placed in 1881, recalls the episode.
, among which is the most famous, Santa Lucia
(Today, among other things, that song is considered somewhat the unofficial hymn of Sweden!), and Santa Lucia Luntana
, a musical symbol of Neapolitans leaving home to emigrate to America.
Rione
Rione is the name given to a ward in several Italian cities, the best-known of which is Rome. Unlike a quartiere, a rione is usually an official administrative subdivision...
of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The area rises around the street of the same name and takes that name from the parish sanctuary of Santa Lucia a mare, of which the presence is attested since the 9th century, on the river of the sea, in spite of legend that would have it founded by a granddaughter of Constantine I
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
.
Territory
The territory of the ward coincides with that of the Parish and extends along via (street) Santa Lucia and Orsini and their crossstreets, the Islet of Megaride with the Borgo Marinari, the Castel dell'OvoCastel dell'Ovo
Castel dell'Ovo is a castle located on the former island of Megaride, now a peninsula, on the gulf of Naples...
, and via Chiatamone, all features of the Partenope promenade. It extends to the offices of the newspaper Il Mattino
Il Mattino
Il Mattino is an Italian daily newspaper, founded in 1892 in Naples, Italy, by the journalists Eduardo Scarfoglio and Matilde Serao.Based on 2008 survey data from Accertamenti Diffusione Stampa, Il Mattino is the most read daily newspaper in Campania, and one of the most read in southern...
, the so-called “Pallonetto of Santa Lucia” and the slopes of Mount Echia nearly to Monte di Dio. The area is bounded on the north and east by the Royal Palace
Royal Palace (Naples)
The Royal Palace is a palace in Naples, southern Italy. It is one of the four residences used by the Bourbon Kings of Naples during their rule of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies : one is in Caserta, another on the Capodimonte hill overlooking Naples, and the third is in Portici on the slopes of...
, the Molosiglio and via Cesario Console, anciently famous as "Rua of the Provenzali".
History
Santa Lucia has been identified with the history of NaplesHistory of Naples
The history of Naples is long and varied, beginning in the 9th-century BCE Greeks colonized many parts of south Italy. Naples was one of the latter cities founded in the Magna Graecia, founded as "Parthenope" in the sixth century B.C. It was a second-generation colony, in that it was settled by the...
ever since the Greeks from Cumae
Cumae
Cumae is an ancient Greek settlement lying to the northwest of Naples in the Italian region of Campania. Cumae was the first Greek colony on the mainland of Italy , and the seat of the Cumaean Sibyl...
landed here to found the small market harbour of Falero, which later gave rise — between the beach, the islet of Megaride and the Pizzofalcone hill — to the polis Partenope
Partenope
Partenope is an opera by George Frideric Handel, first performed at the King's Theatre in London on 24 February 1730.-Background:...
(from the siren who tried to enchant Ulysses
Odysseus
Odysseus or Ulysses was a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in the Epic Cycle....
); later that town would be known as Palepoli (“old city”).
In the preimperial Roman age, general Lucullus
Lucullus
Lucius Licinius Lucullus , was an optimate politician of the late Roman Republic, closely connected with Sulla Felix...
moved to the area and built his magnificent villa, known as Oppidum Lucullianum, to which the last Roman emperor Romulus Augustus
Romulus Augustus
Romulus Augustus , was the last Western Roman Emperor, reigning from 31 October 475 until 4 September 476...
exiled to live out his days. In the imperial age the area became famous for its proximity to the platamoniae caves, where magic rituals were held and in which Petronius
Petronius
Gaius Petronius Arbiter was a Roman courtier during the reign of Nero. He is generally believed to be the author of the Satyricon, a satirical novel believed to have been written during the Neronian age.-Life:...
set parts of his Satyricon
Satyricon
Satyricon is a Latin work of fiction in a mixture of prose and poetry. It is believed to have been written by Gaius Petronius, though the manuscript tradition identifies the author as a certain Titus Petronius...
.
In the 7th century Saint Patricia from Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, directed towards the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
, was shipwrecked here and, according the legend, founded the sanctuary and decided to settle in Naples. In the Middle Ages, the zone decayed and the villa was converted into a monastery by Basilian monks who, during the period of the ducal age
Duchy of Naples
The Duchy of Naples began as a Byzantine province that was constituted in the seventh century, in the reduced coastal lands that the Lombards had not conquered during their invasion of Italy in the sixth century...
, also managed the sanctuary. In the Norman age the monastery was transformed completely to become one of the best equipped fortresses guarding the gulf. In the Angevin age the close harbour was given in concession to the people of the Provençe
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, the land of origin of the Angevin kings; the area became very important for them, militarily and commercially, and was known by the toponym of "Port of the Provenzali".
In 1588, the sanctuary was given in management to an order of nuns and, as result, was entirely rebuilt for wish of abbess Eusebia Minadoa. The Spanish viceroys, between 1500 and 1700, held the area in particular high regard and embellished it greatly; this included structures by the architect Domenico Fontana
Domenico Fontana
Domenico Fontana was a Swiss-born Italian architect of the late Renaissance.-Biography:200px|thumb|Fountain of Moses in Rome....
beginning in 1599 that essentially transformed a village of fishermen and traders into one of the most prestigious areas of the city. With the arrival of the Bourbon dynasty, the lucìani (as the inhabitants of Santa Lucia are called) became intimates of the kings, serving as craftsmen and suppliers of the royal house. The area was a favorite goal of that brand of elite tourism associated with the so-called grand tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
. During that period the area hosted a famous casino that saw the presence of various celebrities such as Giacomo Casanova
Giacomo Casanova
Giacomo Girolamo Casanova de Seingalt was an Italian adventurer and author from the Republic of Venice. His autobiography, Histoire de ma vie , is regarded as one of the most authentic sources of the customs and norms of European social life during the 18th century...
and Alexandre Dumas
Alexandre Dumas, père
Alexandre Dumas, , born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie was a French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world...
. The establishment was especially valued by the queen of Naples, Maria Carolina. A single wing of the building survives today as part of a university conference center.
The port of Santa Lucia was during the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
the Olympic harbor of the Dragon
Dragon (keelboat)
thumbThe International Dragon is a one-design keelboat.The Dragon was designed by Norwegian Johan Anker in 1929. In 1948 the Dragon became an Olympic Class, a status it retained until the Munich Olympics in 1972...
sailboats. HRH Crown Prince Constantine
Constantine II of Greece
|align=right|Constantine II was King of Greece from 1964 until the abolition of the monarchy in 1973, the sixth and last monarch of the Greek Royal Family....
won the Gold medal in this event.
The port of Molosiglio was during the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
the Olympic harbor of the Star
Star (sailboat)
The International Star is a 6.9 m one-design racing keelboat for two people.The boat must weigh at least 671 kg with a maximum total sail area of 26.5 m . It is sloop-rigged, with a mainsail larger in proportional size than any other boat of its length...
and 5.5 Metre
5.5 Metre (keelboat)
The International 5.5 Metre Class was created to yield a racing keel boat giving a sailing experience similar to that of the International 6 Metre Class, but at a lower cost....
sailboats.
Santa Lucia today
Already in 1845, the sea level rose considerably, making it necessary to bury the original sanctuary and build a new one on top of it; after the annexion of the Kingdom of Naples to Italy (1861) Santa Lucia underwent a complete transformation, including the enlarging and straightening of the Partenope promenade. It involved reclaining large tracts of land from the sea and the creation of new streets, all of which has served the area well in this age of modern tourism. The new sections now host a row of modern hotels and a number of sailing clubs. The offices of the CampaniaCampania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
regional government are located in Palazzo Santa Lucia, and the area is the site of the conference center of the University “Federico II "
University of Naples Federico II
The University of Naples Federico II is a university located in Naples, Italy. It was founded in 1224 and is organized into 13 faculties. It is the world's oldest state university and one of the oldest academic institutions in continuous operation...
and of the Cervantes Institute
Instituto Cervantes
The Cervantes Institute is a worldwide non-profit organization created by the Spanish government in 1991. It is named after Miguel de Cervantes , the author of Don Quixote and perhaps the most important figure in the history of Spanish literature...
of Spanish language and culture.
The area was home to admiral Francesco Caracciolo
Francesco Caracciolo
Prince Francesco Caracciolo was a Neapolitan admiral and revolutionist.-Early life and British service:Caracciolo was born in Naples to a noble family. He entered the navy and learned his seamanship under Rodney...
, who served in the neapolitan navy and then was executed through hanging by admiral Nelson for his service to the Parthenopaean Republic
Parthenopaean Republic
The Parthenopean Republic was a French-supported republic in the territory of the Kingdom of Naples, formed during the French Revolutionary Wars after King Ferdinand IV fled before advancing French troops...
. His body, thrown into the sea, was recovered and is now interred in another famous church in the area, that of Santa Maria della Catena
Santa Maria della Catena
Santa Maria della Catena is a church in Palermo, southern Italy.The church was built in 1490-1520, designed by Matteo Carnilivari. Tha name derives from the presence, on one of the walls, of a chain which closed the Cala port....
, where an epitaph, placed in 1881, recalls the episode.
In popular culture
Santa Lucia has been like subject of some traditional Neapolitan songsMusic of Naples
Naples has played an important and vibrant role over the centuries not just in the music of Italy, but in the general history of western European musical traditions. This influence extends from the early music conservatories in the 16th century through the music of Alessandro Scarlatti during the...
, among which is the most famous, Santa Lucia
Santa Lucia
Santa Lucia is a traditional Neapolitan song. It was transcribed by Teodoro Cottrau and published by the Cottrau firm, as a "barcarolla", at Naples in 1849. Cottrau translated it from Napuletano into Italian during the first stage of the Risorgimento, the first Neapolitan song to be given Italian...
(Today, among other things, that song is considered somewhat the unofficial hymn of Sweden!), and Santa Lucia Luntana
Santa Lucia Luntana
"Santa Lucia Luntana" is a Neapolitan song written by E. A. Mario in 1919. It's title is sometimes written simply as "Santa Lucia," leading to confusion about the two songs. The song is very popular in the repertoire of many singers...
, a musical symbol of Neapolitans leaving home to emigrate to America.