Saint Elmo's Castle

Overview

Admire the Saint Elmo's Castle without queueing up!

Tour details

Reservations must be made with a minimum of 1 day notice.
Save time in ordering! Add into your basket all the museum tickets you want, then fill the form and send the request.
Before making your reservation, please, read the Ordering Informations
IMPORTANT NOTICE: After succesfully completing a reservation, you will receive two e- mails: the copy of your order (immediately after submitting your order) and the confirmation mail (one working day after). In order to receive them, please make sure you insert your e-mail address correctly and check that your anti-spam filter or antivirus are not blocking mails from our address reservations@waf.it. Special attention for AOL mailbox users.
PLEASE NOTICE: Confirmed time is not always the same time you requested; museum automatically confirms the closest available time on the same date if requested time is sold out.

Open from Wednesday to Monday  from 08:30 to 19:30; closed on Tuesday, January 1st and December 25th. Cashier closes one hour before.

Details

Saint Elmo Castle was built in 1329 by order of Charles of Anjou on the hill of Sant'Erasmo (now S. Martino) to check the roads that conducted in the city. Construction was assigned to architects Tino da Camaino, Atanasio Primario and Francesco di Vito, and was completed in 1343. It was built where the Normans, in 1170, erected an observation tower called Belforte, surrounded by rich vegetation.

All Naples historic events involve Saint Elmo Castle. In 1348 the castle withstood its first siege from the king of Hungary, Ludovico. Castle became a key military objective when French and Spain competed for the possession of the kingdom in Naples.

The King Charles V, through the viceroy Pedro de Toledo, assigned the complete rebuilding of the castle to the Spanish architect Pier Luigi Scribà. Scribà designed a star-shaped plant with six points, and new building included defense areas, the powder magazine, king's and garrison's residences, ample courtyards, prisons, larders, a church and a colossal swimming pool to assure an abundant water restocking.

In 1587, during a storm, a lightening struck the powder magazine and the explosion caused considerable damages to the castle and many monuments and churches in the city.

Several fights took place here between the various dominating powers, as well as repeated popular uprisings, including the legendary Masaniello's on 1647. During the Second World War the Germans intended to make it explode before they left the city, changing their minds only at the last minute.

The castle, which has now been restored and houses art and history exhibitions, hosts the Molaioli Library of Art and a videotheque which supplies information about all of the city's monuments. The complex also contains the 16th century Church of Sant'Elmo and the Chapel of Santa Maria del Pilar (17th Century).

Prices

Full price tickets; reduced and free tickets can only be gotten directly at museums and monuments in Naples

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