Galleria Borbonica (Bourbon Tunnel), Naples

Galleria Borbonica (Bourbon Tunnel), Naples (must see)

Visitors can find the Bourbon Tunnel 100 feet below the city of Naples. The tunnel was originally built in 1853 as an escape route for the Bourbon royal family.

King Ferdinand II of Bourbon commissioned the tunnel during a time of turmoil. Sicily and Naples were experiencing uprisings and riots, and the royal family wanted a way to escape the Royal Palace if needed.

The tunnel was connected to the 17th-century aqueduct system. Workers carved out the tunnel using hand tools such as picks, hammers, and wedges and used candlelight as illumination. Unfortunately, King Ferdinand II died before the tunnel was finished, and the underground space went unused until World War II.

During World War II, the space was used as an air-raid shelter and housed up to 10,000 Neapolitans.

After the war, the tunnel was used as a dump for wartime debris and impounded cars.

Today's visitors can see items left by wartime visitors, such as toys, hairbrushes, and beds. The impounded cars of the 1950s and 1960s are now classics and are an interesting addition to the underground tour.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Naples. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Galleria Borbonica (Bourbon Tunnel) on Map

Sight Name: Galleria Borbonica (Bourbon Tunnel)
Sight Location: Naples, Italy (See walking tours in Naples)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Naples, Italy

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