Padding the city streets of the world over, you have a certain confidence in their solidarity, in their ability to keep you up. It seems that not all the ground is as solid as it would seem.
As far back as the Ancient Greeks, the rock on which Naples stands was discovered to be easy to dig out and so caverns were dug underground for the storage of water. The rock, ‘tuff’, composed from hardened ash and lava, was also found to be a durable building material.
In 1853, Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies, fearing for his safety following a series of revolutionary riots, ordered for the construction of a tunnel to connect the army barracks and the royal palace (Palazzo Reale) so that soldiers could move quickly, and secretly, to the King’s aid if the need arose.
Fortunately for the architect chosen, hollows below the two buildings already existed (to extract tuff and create water cisterns) so he had a small start. The project was completed in three years, but as Italy was unified a few years after that, the royal escape system did not have much of an opportunity for a trial run.
In the Second World War, the tunnels were used as air-raid shelters and also to house people whose homes had been destroyed in the bombing.
Although the tunnels were poorly ventilated, they were far removed from all the chaos and danger above ground and children could play in safety.
Following the Second World War, cars impounded by the police for breaking regulations, were taken to the tunnels.
The tunnels were fast becoming a depositary for everyone’s rubbish, but fortunately for us a team of volunteers banded together in 2005 to clear the tunnels out. This they achieved in just five years and the tunnels were opened to the public in 2010.
Another interesting artefact discovered …
Aurelio Padovani was the founder of the Neapolitan Fascist Party who fell out of favour with Mussolini. Suspicion still surrounds his death. While celebrating his name day in 1926, he stood on a balcony, to wave to his supporters, when the balcony collapsed killing Padovani and eight others.
In 1934 a square in Naples was re-named in Padovani’s honour and a huge monument was erected bearing his name.
After World War II, the Fascists being out of favour, the square reverted to its former name and the monument was dismantled, the pieces finding their way into the tunnels.
Our fascinating tour was in the Galleria Borbonica, near Palazzo Reale.
Tortoise Travel 
I know that you will come back often to what is, in essence, a fascinatingly vivid journal of your adventures this year.
You will so enjoy being able to re-live your day-to-day travels as you read of them again in days to come!
For us, who travel with you – courtesy of the digital revolution – it is a privilege to join you on your visits and to share your experiences (albeit second-hand).
Thanks so much for taking us along and I wish you both continued happiness and more amazing sights and sounds as you journey onwards.
We ourselves have just 9 days to go now before we stop being “armchair travellers” and head off to Laos.
We’re looking forward to becoming immersed in the Laotian culture and to sampling the cuisine etc.!
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Thank you so much for your kind words, Jill. I am looking forward to hearing about your adventures too.
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Interesting one today. Tunnels especially! Those old indicators which went up and down were called “semaphore indicators”. My dad’s first Morris 8 had them. Cheers, Mick
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Ah, I thought that they must have a name. My father had an old Bradford van with them. He kept it for years and put a bench seat in the back for Robert and me. Of course, we didn’t have any windows in the back which might explain for us being incredibly travel sick.
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