ActivityPhoto Wikimedia CommonsGalleria Borbonica
Italy
The Bourbon Tunnel was built in 1853 by Ferdinand II of Bourbon, who, concerned about the outbreak of a rebellion, asked for an escape from the Royal Palace to the barrack in Via della Pace, now Via Morelli. The work was however not completed and, during the second World War, the Tunnel was used by residents of the area as a military hospital, later becoming the Hall Judicial Deposit.The war left its mark even in the subsoil.
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Orientation
We stand at the entrance to the Galleria Borbonica, one of the most extraordinary subterranean sites in all of Europe. This is not merely a tunnel; it is a multi-layered historical archive carved into the volcanic tuff of Naples. …
Listen in the app2The Royal Passage — A Prince's Escape
The primary purpose of this monumental project was the creation of a 'Viadotto Borbonico.' King Ferdinand II, haunted by the memory of the 1848 revolutions, wanted a secure way for the royal family to reach the safety of the sea…
Listen in the app3The Bomb Shelters of the Blitz
During World War II, the Galleria Borbonica found a new and desperate purpose. As Naples became the most bombed city in Italy, its residents sought refuge in the ancient tuff caverns. …
Listen in the app4The Vehicle Graveyard — A Post-War Time Capsule
After the war, the tunnel served yet another unexpected function: an impound lot for the local police. In this section, you will find a bizarre and fascinating collection of vintage vehicles from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. …
Listen in the app5The Ancient Cisterns — Water and the City
Before King Ferdinand's engineers began their work, this area was part of the Bolla Aqueduct system, which supplied water to Naples for centuries. We are now standing in one of the grand water cisterns, some of which date back to…
Listen in the app6The Unfinished Dreams — Stalled Architecture
As we move toward the southern end of the gallery, we encounter several sections that remain unfinished. Here, you can see the raw work of the stonecutters—large blocks of tuff partially carved away from the mountain. …
Listen in the app7The Exit at Via Morelli — Returning to the Light
Our final steps in the tunnel lead us to the exit at Via Morelli. This section was originally intended to be a grand military gateway, but today it leads into a modern parking garage—a fittingly Neapolitan blend of the ancient…
Listen in the app8Closing
Our exploration of the Galleria Borbonica concludes back at the surface, where the vibrant chaos of Naples continues unabated. We have traversed nearly two centuries of history in a single walk, descending from a king's escape…
Listen in the app
What is Galleria Borbonica?
Galleria Borbonica is a place in Italy with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Italy |
|---|---|
| Type | Activity |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 40.8355, 14.2463 |
| Last updated |
