Castel dell'Ovo is the oldest castle in Naples located on a small island connected to the mainland. According to legend, the poet Virgil hid an egg in the castle whose destruction would lead to the castle's and city's ruin. The castle has changed over time from a villa to a fortress protecting the city. It has been damaged and rebuilt throughout history under different rulers. Today it is a historic landmark in Naples located near the waterfront.

1. Slide and elaboration original by Antonio Florino automatic feed except the second picture English version

2. Castel dell 'Ovo (Castrum Ovi, in Latin), is the oldest castle in the city of Naples and is one of the elements that stand out most in the famous scene of Golfo.Il derives its name from an ancient legend that the poet Latin Virgil - in medieval times was considered a magician - hid in the secret building of an egg that kept up the whole fortress. Its failure would have caused not only the collapse of the castle, but also a series of catastrophic disasters to the town of Napoli. Durante the fourteenth century, at the time of John I, the castle suffered heavy damage due to the partial collapse of the arc on which is resting and to prevent the population from spreading panic about alleged future disasters that have struck the city, the queen had to swear that he replaced the egg. The castle stands on the islet of tufa Megaride (greek: Megaris), a natural offshoot of Mount Echia, which was joined to the mainland by a thin strip of rock. It is believed that it was the landing point of the first Greek and then Cumani, who arrived in the mid-seventh century BC, they founded the first group of Palepoli (old city), the future Napoli.Nel the first century BC Lucius Licinius Lucullus gained in the bottom of a very large (according to some assumptions that ranged from Pizzofalcone to Pozzuoli) and built a splendid villa on the island, which was equipped with a rich library, and herds of eels imported from peach trees Persia, which were a novelty at the time along with the cherry trees that had come from the general Cerasunto. The memory of this property persisted in the name of Castrum Lucullanum that the site held until late Roman age - darkest times for the Empire - the mid-fifth century - the house was fortified by Valentinian III and touched the fate of hosting the deposed last emperor of Rome, Romulus Augustus, in 476. Following the death of Romulus Augustus, that marked the final fall of the Roman Empire, on the island of Monte Echia Megaride and, at the end of the fifth century, was settled by Byzantine monks called Pannonia by a matron with the relics of the abbot Barbara Severino. Allocated initially in scattered cells (called hermitages Basilian), the monks in the seventh century they adopted the Benedictine rule and created a major scriptorium (having probably also what remained of the library gourmet). Due to several events that have partially destroyed the ' Norman, thanks to original appearance and subsequent reconstruction work took place during the Angevin and Aragonese, the architectural line of the castle changed dramatically to reach the state in which they are presented with the name of Castle Well, that sounds like the Latin Castrum Ovi, you linked to an ancient legend that the Roman poet Virgil - who has his own tomb in Naples - hid in the secret building of an egg that had to remain standing the entire fortress. Its failure would have caused not only the collapse of the castle, but also a host of other woes for the city. But what are the origins of this mysterious building? There are no known records of the date of construction of the fortress but we know that Roger the Norman conquered Naples in 1140, he made his residence of Castel dell 'Ovo. With the passage of the kingdom of the Swabians, Castel dell'Ovo be further strengthened in 1222 by Frederick II, making it the seat of the royal treasury and is building more towers. King Charles I of Anjou moved to Castelnuovo, better known as Maschio Angioino the court. He maintained, however, Castel dell 'Ovo - which during this period began to be called Chateau de l'Oeuf or Castrum Ovi enchanted - the goods to be safeguarded in the fortified place better: it did then the residence of the family, bringing many changes in order, and we kept the royal treasury. In this period the castle was also a state prison: Conrad of Swabia, was imprisoned before being beheaded in the square of Mercato.Qui was secluded among others, the philosopher Tommaso Campanella before being sentenced to death, and later many Jacobins, Carbonari and liberals, including Carlo Poerio, Luigi Settembrini, Francesco De Sanctis. After the unification of Italy, during the so-called "Neapolitan cleansing", which changed the face of the city, a project included the demolition of the Castle to make way for a new ward. Fortunately, that project was not implemented and so the building remained in the possession of state property, even if in a state of neglect until the restoration of 1975. Today is an integral part of the historic district of Saint Lucia

3. We left at first light of morning from the small harbor of Mergellina

4. The boat is not luxurious, it's just a fisherman's boat, but I prefer the natural to the unnecessary luxury

6. Usually we think only in St. Gennaro in Naples, but the cult ofof St. Gaetano is widespread

7. Let go and move towards our destination

8. The morning light makes the unreal wonderful landscape

12. Within minutes we are just steps from the Castle

14. The perspective starts to change

20. We arrive at the tip of the fort

21. Starting at the Cape the reddish color of the tuff becomes more vivid

26. This is the most salient point of our fort in the sea

27. Let the east side

30. He admires the area of the luxury hotels of the waterfront

32. We enter the harbor of the Borgo Marinari

34. the most popular meeting places for tourists are here

35. The Zi 'Teresa, the Transatlantic, the Bersagliera and Cyrus. Us Neapolitans normally do not visit them

39. It 's time to return, the time is fast

44. The light changed again

46. Here we are on the way back, not without admiring Piazza Vittoria, the broken column, the Villa Comunale and the Naples High, by the Vomero at Posillipo

49. Here we are again at the small harbor of Mergellina

50. This yellow building, Via Caracciolo 2, 'at First Cropping' of Via Caracciolo and I lived on the second floor from 1949 to 2000

51. S. Maria del Parto Church

52. The dock that was once desert is now packed with tourists bound at Capri, Ischia, Procida and the Aeolian Islands

54. It 'just one of the most in the whole Mediterranean that all envy to us

55. One more look at the landscape and immediately set to work to communicate our emotions to all the Friends. Best regards, Antonio By Aflo [email_address]