While Turin is considered the esoteric capital city of Italy, Naples is no less: you can plan an entire spooky tour of Naples, off the beaten track…
Esoteric Naples: a magic beginning
Even the story of the foundation of Naples has magic in itself: according to the legend, Parthenope, the founder of the “old” Naples (as the meaning of “Naples” in Greek is “new city”), was a syren, bewitched and cast ashore after failing to mesmerize Ulysses with her chant.
Esoteric Naples the Devil’s place
With a history spanning since the VI Century B.C., Naples had, as a Roman and then pagan city, temples and shrines dedicated to the gods of the greek – roman pantheon.
With the advent of christianity everything started to change and the association and the Christians started to relate the pagans places of worship with the devil.
An example?
Piazza Pietrasanta.
Literally “Holy Stone square”, Piazza Pietrasanta was the site dedicated to Diana / Artemis.
The Christians associated the Diana’s priestess to witchcraft and then with the devil, who was supposed to roam the area at night in the guise of a ghastly boar.
To banish the devil a church was founded: the church of Santa Maria Maggiore alla Pietrasanta. A mistery added to another: the holy stone from which the church is named is lost…
An “esoteric” poet for an esoteric Naples
The Roman poet Virgil is the author of Aeneid and a pillar of the european civilization.
Nevertheless, in Naples he is surrounded by an aura of wizardry: a magician, herbalist and clairvoyant, but also, in a sort of way, a prophet of Christianity, after the interpretation of the “divine child” in his works “Bucolics” as Jesus.
Esoteric Naples ghosts
Ancient manors and monasteries are much more interesting when a ghost is around…
The Maria D’Avalos’ ghost, unfaithful wife killed by her husband, would haunt palazzo di Sangro dei Principi.
The ghost of Sancha, Robert of Anjou wife, is associated to the Santa Chiara Monastery.