History of Naples

"Palaepolis" redirects here. For other uses, seePalaepolis (disambiguation).

Historical affiliations

Parthenope8th century–507 BCE
Neapolis507–326 BCE
Neapolis326–89 BCE
∟ally ofRoman Republic
Roman Republic199–89 BCE
∟municipium ofNeapolis
Roman Republic89–27 BCE
Roman Empire27 BCE–395 CE
Western Roman Empire395–476
Kingdom of Italy476–493
Ostrogothic Kingdom493–535
Eastern Roman Empire535–661
Eastern Roman Empire661–763
∟Duchy of Naples661–763
Duchy of Naples763–840
∟client state of theEastern Roman Empire
Duchy of Naples840–1137
Kingdom of Sicily1137–1194
Kingdom of Sicily1194–1254
∟personal union with theHoly Roman Empire
Kingdom of Sicily1254–1282
Kingdom of Naples1282–1442
Crown of Aragon1442–1458
∟Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples1458–1501
Kingdom of Naples1501–1504
∟personal union with theKingdom of France
Kingdom of Naples1504–1647
∟Spanish viceroyalty
Most Serene Republic of this Kingdom of Naples1647–1648 ∟protectorate of theKingdom of France
Kingdom of Naples1648–1714
∟Spanish viceroyalty
Kingdom of Naples1714–1734
∟ruled byAustrian monarchy
Kingdom of Naples1734–1799
Parthenopean Republic1799
∟client state of theFirst French Republic
Kingdom of Naples1799–1806
Kingdom of Naples1806–1815
∟client state of theFirst French Empire
Kingdom of Naples1815–1816
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies1816–1861
Kingdom of Italy1861–1946
Italian Republic1946–present

Map of Parthenope (Palaeopolis) and Neapolis

Thehistory ofNaplesis long and varied, dating to Greek settlements established in the Naples area in the2nd millennium BC.During the end of theGreek Dark Agesa larger mainland colony – initially known as Parthenope – developed on the Pizzofalcone hill in the 8th century BC,and was refounded as Neapolis in the 6th century BC:it held an important role inMagna Graecia.The Greek culture of Naples was important to later Roman society. When the city became part of theRoman Republicin the central province of theEmpire,it was a major cultural centre.

It served as the capital of theDuchy of Naples(661–1139), of theKingdom of Sicily,of theKingdom of Naples(1282–1816) and finally of theTwo Siciliesuntil theunification of Italyin 1861. The city has seen the rise and fall of several civilisations and cultures, each of which has left traces in its art and architecture, and during theRenaissanceand theEnlightenmentwas a major centre of culture.It was also a capital of theBaroque,beginning with the artistCaravaggio's career in the 17th century, and the artistic revolution he inspired.

During theNeapolitan War,the city rebelled against the Bourbon monarchs, spurring the early push towardsItalian unification.

Today, Naples is part of theItalian Republic,the third largest municipality (central area) by population afterRomeandMilan,and has thesecond or third largest metropolitan area of Italy.

Origins

The earliest traces of human habitation date back to theMiddle Neolithicperiod, as evidenced by traces of the Serra d'Alto culture found near theSanta Maria degli Angeli a Pizzofalconebasilica.Traces dating back to theChalcolithicand Early/MiddleBronze Agewere also found in the same area.

TheGaudo culturecan be observed in theEneolithictombs of Materdei.

Discoveries ofceramicsin the vicinity of Pizzofalcone hill, adjacent to thePort of Naplesand dating from the lateBronze Ageto the earlyIron Age,suggest the presence of a site engaged in coastal activities, likely of a productive nature.

In the second millennium BC, a first Mycenaean settlement arose not far from the geographical position of the future city of Parthenope.

Greek and Roman Era

Ancient Sites in the vicinity of Naples

Parthenope

Walls of Parthenope – Monte Echia

Megaride with theCastel dell'Ovo

The city of Parthenope was founded byCumae,the earliest Greek city on mainland Italy, at the end of the 8th century BC.Parthenope was named after thesirenin Greek mythology, said to have washed ashore at Megaride, having thrown herself into the sea after she failed to bewitchUlysseswith her song. The settlement was built on the Pizzofalcone promontory allowing control of sea traffic in the area.

Little archaeology for Parthenope has come to light, but anecropolisof the 7th century BC was discovered in via Nicotera. A ceramics waste dump dated to the Archaic Age was discovered in via Chiatamone where it had slid from the hill of Pizzofalcone. Atuffwall of the 6th c. BC was found in via S. Giacomo, near the town hall, which was a part of the port and may have had both boundary and defensive purposes.

When the colony began to be more frequented due to the abundance and amenity of the places, the Cumaens, worried that their city would be abandoned, decided to «destroy» it.

The refoundation as Neapolis

Neapolis (New City) was founded by the Cumaen aristocracy expelled by the tyrantAristodemusafter thevictory of Ariciain 507 BC.

The oligarchs decided to establish Neapolis as a "second Cumae", similar to the city from which they came; for example, the continuation of cults such as that ofDemeterand the faithful resumption of the organisation inphreniasconfirm this. This chronology is confirmed by archaeological finds.

The original center of Parthenope on the Pizzofalcone hill was simply calledPalaipolis(Latin:Palaepolis), the "old city", and survived as a second peripheral pole of Neapolis.

The new city complex was designed on a rectangular grid of streets. It was built on a plateau sloping from north to south which allowed space for a new city. Swamps made routes to the hinterland difficult and prevented its possession of extensive agricultural lands (ager) that most of Campania benefitted from, and made Neapolis focus on the sea and trade for its livelihood.

The city eventually became one of the foremost cities ofMagna Graeciaand long retained its Greek culture even after defeat by the Romans.

Neapolis had an acropolis (area of Sant'Aniello in Caponapoli),agora(area of Piazza San Gaetano ) and necropolis (various examples remain, the most famous of which is the necropolis of Castel Capuano). It also eventually had strong walls (5th century), anodeon,atheatreand the temple of the city'spatron gods,theDioscuri.

Athenian and Syracusan influence

Neapolis was soon able to replace Cumae in maritime trade and to take control of the stretch of sea from the Cumaean gulf to the Neapolitan gulf. Its commercial success was made possible thanks to the decline of the tyranny of theDeinomenidsin Syracuse (466 BC) and the abandonment of Pithecusae (Ischia) by the Syracusan garrison, due to a violent earthquake (or more likely a volcanic eruption ofMount Epomeo). The immediate occupation of Ischia by Neapolis indicates the tensions between the city and the Syracusans.

The Athenians soon created a network of commercial relations in the Tyrrhenian sea. Their interest in Campania, but also in Sicily and the Adriatic, was due to the need for foodstuffs especially cereals to satisfy the needs of an increasing population.The results of the Attic presence in the city were numerous: the great development in the port area and even closer ties with centres located in flat areas suitable for the cultivation of wheat (Alifae, Capua, Nola, Cumae, Dicearchia).

One obstacle stood between Athens and the thriving Campanian market: the Syracusan attempts to dominate the Tyrrhenian Sea even after the end of tyrants. In 413 BC the Athenian expedition against Syracuse in thePeloponnesian Warended in disaster and together with the plague, which substantially undermined the economy ofAttica,relations between Neapolis and Athens underwent an attenuation.

The Samnites

See also:Samnite Wars

At the end of the 5th century BC the political and social equilibrium of Neapolis was severely threatened by theSamnites,anOscan-speaking tribe expanding towards the more fertile plains.

In 423 BCCapua,the great Etruscan stronghold-granary,was conquered by the Samnitesand the original Oscan-speaking citizens were given more freedom.In 421 BC Cumae also had to capitulate after a heavy and bloody siege.Many of its fleeing inhabitants found refuge within the walls of Neapolis who thus paid their debt of gratitude to the founders. Neapolis managed to safeguard its own safety and political sovereignty by admitting the Oscan elites to the main public offices of the city. However, due to this behaviour, Neapolis profoundly damaged its relations with Cumae.

In the second half of the 4th century, during the First Samnite War, Neapolis made an alliance with the Samnites against Rome, which had already taken Capua.

In 327 theSecond Samnite Warresulted from tensions which arose from Roman actions in Campania and partly from actions by Neapolis. AlthoughLivy's history may be biased, he said that Neapolis attacked Romans who lived in Campania and, after Rome's request for redress was rebuffed, it declared war and the two consular armies headed for Campania.

In 326, after having devastated theAger Campanus,the Roman army led by the consulPublilius Philomarched on the city and besieged it. In the meantime, about four thousand Samnites andNolansoldiers had arrived to defend Neapolis. The Romans set up camp between the old and new cities and after a year long siege, betrayal by the Greek citizens led surrender to the Romans. However, Rome left the city with wide autonomy and allowed its customs, its language and its traditions of Greek origin to survive, preferring rather to make a sort of solidarity pact and thus creating what was calledfoedus Neapolitanumwith particular attention to its already strong and important maritime role.

Roman Era

In 280 after the battle of Eraclea whenPyrrhusrealised that there was no possibility of an agreement with the Romans, he counter-attacked, advancing his army towards the north. He diverted to Neapolis with the intent of capturing it or inducing it to rebel against Rome. The failed attempt wasted time to the advantage of the Romans; when he reached Capua he found it already garrisoned.

In 211 BC during theSecond Punic War,Capua was severely punished by the Romans due to its alliance withHannibaland its domination of Campania waned in favour of Neapolis.

From 199 BC its role as a maritime power began to diminish to the advantage of its nearby competitorPuteoli.The promotion of Neapolis to a Romanmunicipiummeant the loss of part of its autonomy, although the administration of Greek tradition still remained in force.

Neapolis sided withMariusin thecivil warof 82 BC, and was consequently devastated by the armies of his opponentSulla.The war deprived Neapolis of its fleet and of the island of Ischia, and compromised its trade to the advantage of Puteoli. However, the city continued to function as a regional port, as evidenced by the abundant archaeological finds in Piazza del Municipio.

Then in 50 BC the city supportedPompeyin theCivil warwithJulius Caesar.Having again chosen the losing side the city declined economically.Misenumbecame the major naval base on the Tyrrhenian Sea and evenBaiaewas a strong competitor for tourism and thermal bathing.

UnderAugustusthe city began to recover and the city became a flourishing centre ofHellenisticculture that attracted Romans who wished to perfect their knowledge ofGreek culture.The Neapolitan Isolympic Games (Italika Romaia Sebasta Isolympia), orSebasta'were initiated by Augustus in 2 AD as an equivalent to those atOlympiaand became one of the most important games events in the west.As Italian archaeologistAmedeo Maiurisaid:

Naples was the only city of the Western Roman world to host games in honour of Augustus. This was not so much due to the Emperor's personal influence or for any political agenda, but rather to the city's Greek culture. In fact, during the general decline of Hellenism in Magna Graecia and Sicily, Neapolis was still using the Greek language, institutions, cults, rites and customs. As such Neapolis could be considered the metropolis of Western Hellenism during the first period of the Roman Empire.

The games were held every 5 years and attracted contestants from all over the empire. Augustus attended in 14 AD.

The pleasant climate made it a renowned resort, as recounted byVirgiland manifested in the numerous luxurious villas that lined the coast from the Gulf ofPozzuolito theSorrentinepeninsula.Lucullusbuilt a vastvilla estatehere covering large parts of what would become the later city. The famous district ofPosillipotakes its name from the ruins of VillaPausílypon,meaning, in Greek, "a pause, or respite, from worry". Romans connected the city to the rest of Italy with their famous roads, excavated galleries to link Naples to Pozzuoli, enlarged the port, and added public baths andaqueductsto improve the quality of life in Naples. The city was also celebrated for its many feasts and spectacles.

Further set-backs occurred with the earthquakes of 62 and 64 AD and the eruption ofVesuviusin 79.

According to legend, the saintsPeterandPaulcame to the city to preach. Christians had a prominent role in the late years of theRoman Empire,and there are several notablecatacombs,especially in the northern part of the city. The first palæo-Christian basilicas were built next to the entrances to the catacombs. The greatly popular patron of the city,San Gennaro(St. Januarius), was decapitated in nearbyPozzuoliin 305, and, since the 5th century, he has been commemorated by the basilica ofSan Gennaro extra Moenia.TheCathedral of Naplesis also dedicated to St. Gennaro.

It was in Naples, in Lucullus's villa in what is now theCastel dell'Ovo,thatRomulus Augustulus,the last nominalwesternemperor, was exiled after being deposed in 476.

Naples suffered much during theGothic War (535–552)between theOstrogothsand theByzantines.In 536, it was garrisoned by Gothsand decided to resist the Byzantine commanderBelisarius's invasion. However in the resultingSiege of Naples (536),his troops captured the city by entering through its aqueduct.With the changing tide of the war in the 540s, it was starved into surrender by the OstrogothTotila,who then treated it leniently. DuringNarses's expedition during the 550s, it was captured by the Empire once again. When theLombardsinvaded and conquered much of Italy in the following years, Naples remained loyal to the Eastern Roman Empire.

Sites

Main article:Archaeological sites in Naples

The Duchy of Naples

Main article:Duchy of Naples

See also:List of the dukes of Naples

TheFontana della Sirenaby Onofrio Buccino, 1869, perpetuates the image ofParthenopeas patroness.

At the time of theLombardinvasion, Naples had a population of about 30,000-35,000. In 615, under Giovanni Consino, Naples rebelled for the first time against theExarchofRavenna,theemperor'splenipotentiary inItaly.In reply, the first form of duchy was created in 638 by the ExarchIsaacorEleutherius(exarchic chronology is uncertain), but this official came from abroad and had to answer to thestrategosofSicily.At that time the Duchy of Naples controlled an area corresponding roughly to the present dayProvince of Naples,encompassing the area ofVesuvius,theCampi Flegrei,theSorrentinepeninsula,Giugliano,Aversa,Afragola,Nolaand the islands ofIschiaandProcida.Capriwas later part of theduchy of Amalfi

In 661 Naples, with the permission of the emperorConstans II,was ruled by a local duke,Basilius,whose allegiance to the emperor soon became merely nominal. In 763 the dukeStephen IIswitched his allegiance fromConstantinopleto thePope.In 840 DukeSergius Imade the succession to the duchy hereditary, and thenceforth Naples wasde factototally independent. At this time the city was mainly a military centre, ruled by an aristocracy of warriors and landowners, even though it had been forced to surrender to the neighbouring Lombards much of its inland territory. Naples was not a merchant city as were otherCampaniansea cities such asAmalfiandGaeta,but had a respectable fleet that took part in theBattle of Ostiaagainst theSaracensin 849. In any event, Naples did not hesitate to ally itself with infidels if it proved advantageous to do so: in 836, for example, Naples asked for support from theSaracensin order to repel the siege ofLombardtroops coming from the neighbouringDuchy of Benevento.Later,Muhammad I Abu 'l-Abbasled itsMuslimconquest of Naples and managed to sack it and take huge amount of its wealth. After Neapolitan dukes rose to prominence under theDuke-Bishop Athanasiusand his successors (among these,Gregory IVandJohn IIparticipated at theBattle of the Gariglianoin 915), Naples declined in importance in the 10th century until it was captured by its traditional rival,Pandulf IV of Capua.

In 1027, dukeSergius IVdonated thecounty of Aversato a band ofNormanmercenaries led byRainulf Drengot,whose support he had needed in the war with theprincipality of Capua.In that period he could not imagine the consequences, but this settlement began a process which eventually led to the end of the independence of Naples.

Last of the rulers of such independent southern Italian states,Sergius VIIwas forced to surrender toRoger II of Sicilyin 1137; Roger had had himself proclaimedking of Sicilyseven years earlier. Under the new rulers, the city was administered by acompalazzo(palatine count), with little independence left to the Neapolitan patriciate. In this period Naples had a population of 30,000 and was sustained by its holdings in the interior; commerce was mainly delegated to foreigners, mainly fromPisaandGenoa.

Apart from the church ofSan Giovanni a Mare,Norman buildings in Naples were mainly lay ones, notably castles (Castel CapuanoandCastel dell'Ovo), walls and fortified gates.

TheCastel Nuovo( "New Castle" ) was renovated and chosen as his palace by Charles I of Anjou. The entrance is decorated by a Renaissance Arch of Triumph celebrating the entrance in the city of the Aragonese king Alfonso I (15th century).

Normans, Hohenstaufen, and Anjou

After a period of Norman rule, in 1189 theKingdom of Sicilywas in a succession dispute betweenTancred, King of Sicilyof an illegitimate birth and theHohenstaufens,a Germanroyal house,as its Prince Henry had marriedPrincess Constancethe last legitimate heir to the Sicilian throne. In 1191 Henry invaded Sicily after being crowned asHenry VI, Holy Roman Emperorand many cities surrendered, but Naples resisted him from May to August under the leadership ofRichard, Count of Acerra,Nicholas of Ajello,Aligerno CottoneandMargaritus of Brindisibefore the Germans suffered from disease and were forced to retreat.Conrad II, Duke of BohemiaandPhilip I, Archbishop of Colognedied of disease during the siege. In light of this Tancred achieved another unexpected achievement that his contender Constance, now empress, was captured atSalernowhile those cities surrendered to Germans resubmitted to Tancred. Tancred had the empress imprisoned atCastel dell'Ovoat Naples before her release in May 1192. In 1194 Henry started his second campaign upon the death of Tancred, but this time Aligerno surrendered without resistance, and finally Henry conquered Sicily, putting it under the rule of Hohenstaufens.

Frederick II Hohenstaufenfounded theuniversityin 1224, considering Naples as his intellectual capital whilePalermoretained its political role. The university remained unique in southern Italy for seven centuries. After the defeat of Frederick's son,Manfred,in 1266 Naples and the kingdom of Sicily were assigned byPope Clement IVtoCharles of Anjou,who moved the capital fromPalermoto Naples. He settled in his new residence in theCastel Nuovo,around which a new district grew up, marked by palaces and residences of the nobility. During Charles' reign newGothicchurches were also built, includingSanta Chiara,San Lorenzo Maggioreand theCathedral of Naples.

After theSicilian Vespers(1284), the kingdom was split in two parts, with an Aragonese king ruling the island of Sicily and the Angevin king ruling the mainland portion; while both kingdoms officially called themselves the Kingdom of Sicily, the mainland portion was commonly referred to as theKingdom of Naples.TheHungarianAngevin kingLouis the Greatcaptured the city several times. The kingdom had been divided in two, but Naples grew in importance: Pisan and Genoese merchants were joined byTuscanbankers, and with them came outstanding artists such asBoccaccio,Petrarca,andGiotto.

See alsoKingdom of Naples

The Aragonese period

Idealized depiction of Naples from the 1493Nuremberg Chronicle

In 1442Alfonso Iconquered Naples after his victory against the lastAngevinking,Rene,and made his triumphal entry into the city in February 1443. The new dynasty enhanced commerce by connecting Naples to the Iberian peninsula and made Naples a centre of the ItalianRenaissance:artists who worked in Naples in this period includeFrancesco Laurana,Antonello da Messina,Jacopo SannazzaroandAngelo Poliziano.The court also granted land holdings in the provinces to the nobility; this, however, had the effect of fragmenting the kingdom.

After the brief conquest byCharles VIII of Francein 1495, the two kingdoms were united under Aragonese rule in 1501. In 1502 Castilian generalGonzalo Fernández de Córdobaentered in the city. Although Fernández de Córdoba was Castilian, he conquered under the command ofFerdinand II of Aragon.Ferdinand and his wifeIsabella I of Castileruled their kingdoms jointly in personal union during their marriage. But the partnership of theCatholic Monarchsceased with Isabella's death in 1504, and Ferdinand expelled the Castilians from leadership in Aragonese possessions in Italy, including Naples.The conquest began nearly two centuries of rule of the almost omnipotentviceré( "viceroys") in Naples.

Palazzo Reale ( "Royal Palace" ) was the seat of Spanish and Austrian viceroys.

Under the viceroys Naples grew from 100,000 to 300,000 inhabitants,second only toIstanbulinEurope.The most important of them was donPedro Álvarez de Toledo:he introduced heavy taxation and favoured theInquisition,but at the same time improved the conditions of Naples. He opened the main street, which still today bears his name; he paved other roads, strengthened and expanded the walls, restored old buildings, and erected new buildings and fortresses, essentially turning the city of Naples by 1560 into the largest and best fortified city in the Spanish empire. In the 16th and 17th century Naples was home to great artists such asCaravaggio,Salvator RosaandBernini,philosophers such asBernardino Telesio,Giordano Bruno,Tommaso CampanellaandGiambattista Vico,and writers such asGian Battista Marino,thus confirming itself among the most important capitals of Europe. All these cultural figures contributed to the aesthetic and intellectual transformations leading to a new era, commonly defined as Baroque.Patrons and salon-holders such asAurora Sanseverino,Isabella Pignone del Carretto and Ippolita Cantelmo Stuart had a significant role in the artistic and cultural life in Naples.

All the strains of an increasingly over-populated city exploded in July 1647, when the legendaryMasanielloled the populace in violent rebellion against the foreign, oppressive rule of the Spanish. Neapolitans declared aRepublicand askedFrancefor support, but the Spaniards suppressed the insurrection in April of the following year and defeated two attempts by the French fleet to land troops. In 1656 theplaguekilled almost half of the inhabitants of the city; this led to the beginning of a period of decline.

View of theBay of Napleswith a British fleet commanded by AdmiralGeorge Byngat anchor, 1 August 1718, just before theBattle of Cape Passaro.Painting byGaspar Butler.

1714 to 1799

Main article:Neapolitan Republic (1799)

The Spanish Habsburgs were replaced in 1714 byAustrianones, until in 1734 the two kingdoms were united under a single independent crown (Utriusque Siciliarum), that ofCharles of Bourbon.Charles renovated the city with theVilla di Capodimonteand theTeatro di San Carlo,and welcomed the philosophersGiovan Battista VicoandAntonio Genovesi,the juristsPietro GiannoneandGaetano Filangieri,and the composersAlessandroandDomenico Scarlatti.This first king of theHouse of Bourbontried to introduce legislative and administrative reforms, but they were stopped as the first news of theFrench Revolutionreached the city. By that time, Charles' son,Ferdinand IVwas king, and he entered an anti-FrenchCoalitionwithGreat Britain,Russia,Austria,Prussia,Spain,andPortugal.

The Bay of Naples,byJoseph Vernet,1748

The population of Naples at the beginning of the 19th century was mostly made up of a mass of people, who were called thelazzaroneand lived in extremely poor conditions. As well, there was a strong royal bureaucracy and an élite of landowners. When in January 1799Frenchrevolutionarytroops entered the city they were hailed by a pro-revolutionary minor part of the middle class, but had to face strong resistance by theroyalistlazzari,who were fervidly religious and did not support the new ideas. The short-livedNeapolitan Republictried to gain popular support by abolishing feudal privileges, but the mass of the people rebelled and in June 1799 the republicans surrendered. Upon the order of the restored monarchy, AdmiralHoratio Nelsonarrested the leaders of the revolution and handed them over for executionFrancesco Caracciolo,Mario Pagano,Ettore Carafa,andEleonora Fonseca Pimentel.Nelson was rewarded by being made Duke of Bronte by the king.

1799-1861

The Theatre of San Carlo was built during the reign of Charles I of Bourbon.

TheParthenopaean Republicin Naples was suppressed by the British and Russians in 1799, and was following in 1805 by a fullinvasion.In early 1806Napoleonconquered the Kingdom of Naples. The Emperor Napoleon first named his brotherJoseph Bonaparteto be King and then his brother-in-law andMarshalJoachim Muratin 1808, when Joseph was given the Spanish crown. The latter created a communal administration led by a mayor, which was left almost intact by Ferdinand in 1815 as he regained his kingdom after the 1815Neapolitan Warin which the Austrians defeated Murat. In 1839 Naples was the first city in Italy to have a railway, with the Napoli-Porticiline.

In spite of a little cultural revival and the proclamation of a Constitution on June 25, 1860, in the last years of the kingdom the gap between the court and the intellectual class continued to grow.

On September 6, 1861,the kingdomwas conquered by the Garibaldinesand was handed over to theKing of Sardinia:Garibaldi entered the city by train, descending in the square that today still bears his name. In October 1860 a plebiscite sanctioned the end of the Kingdom of Sicily and the birth of a new Italian state, the unitedKingdom of Italy.

Galleria Umberto,1887–91

Contemporary age

The opening of thefunicularrailway toMount Vesuviuswas occasion for the writing of the famous song "Funiculì, Funiculà",one more song in the centuries long tradition ofNeapolitan song.Many Neapolitan songs are also famous outside of Italy, as for example "'O sole mio","Santa Lucia "and" Torna a Surriento ". On April 7, 1906 nearbyMount Vesuviuserupted, devastatingBoscotrecaseand seriously damagingOttaviano.

DuringWorld War II,Naples was the first Italian city to rise up against theNazimilitary occupation; between September 28 and October 1, 1943 the people of the city rose up and pushed the Germans out, in what became known as the "four days of Naples".British Armoured patrols of theKing's Dragoon Guardswere the first allied unit to reach Naples. They were followed by theRoyal Scots Greysfollowed by troops of the US82nd Airborne Division;they found Naples already free, and continued on instead towardsRome.

In 1944 another devastating eruption from Vesuvius occurred; images from this eruption were used in the filmThe War of the Worlds.

Napoli has turned into the most important transportation hub of southern Italy. The airport ofCapodichinohas connections across Europe. The city also has an important port that connects to many Tyrrhenian Sea destinations, includingCagliari,GenoaandPalermo,often with fast ferries. Naples also has ferry connections to nearby islands andSorrento,and fast rail connections toRomeand the south. It is noted for the light railwayCircumvesuviana.

Organised crime is deeply rooted in Naples. TheCamorra,the feuding Neapolitan gangs and families, have a long history. During 2004 over 120 people died in Naples in Camorra killings; many of the deaths were related to the drug trade.

Unemployment remains very high in Naples, with some estimates running above 20% among working-age males.The industrial base is still small and a number of earlier and ambitious enterprises such as automobile manufacturing plants on the outskirts have closed and gone elsewhere. There is a large "submerged economy" —meaning the black market—and it is difficult to have reliable statistics on the amount of wealth generated by such activity. Social services in the city have come under recent strain in attempting to deal with the increase in immigration.

Italy's first Metropolitan railway (now Linea 2) was opened in Naples in 1925.

Four funicular railways were opened between 1889 and 1931. Two of these link the residential area of Vomero to the historic centre of the city. One links Vomero with Chiaia and one, in the western part of the city, links Mergellina with Posillipo.

In 1927 Naples absorbed some nearby communities; the 1860 population of 450,000 increased to 1,250,000 in 1971.

Cosmetically, at least, Naples improved in the two decades either side of the turn of the 21st century:Piazza del Plebiscito,for example, has returned to its historic role as thelargest open squarein the city instead of being the squalid parking lot that it was between the end of WWII and 1990; city landmarks such as theSan Carlo theaterand theGalleria Umbertohave been restored; a major ring road, thetangenziale di Napoli,has alleviated traffic through and around the city; and major construction continues on the new underground railway system, theNaples Metro(metropolitana di Napoli), which, even its currentunfinished state now provides easy transportation for the first time in the history of the city from the upper reaches of the Vomero hill section of the city into the downtown area. As a result of at least some of these improved conditions in the city, tourism has increased. Naples became the world's 91st richest city by purchasing power in 2005, with aGDPof US$43 billion, surpassingBudapestandZürich,and unemployment decreased dramatically between the 1990s and 2010.

See also

• Timeline of Naples history

Bibliography

See also:Timeline of Naples § Bibliography

• Magnusson, Magnus; Goring, Rosemary, eds. (1990).Cambridge Biographical Dictionary.Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.ISBN0-521-39518-6.