Catacombs of San Gennaro

The largest paleo-Christian catacomb in southern Italy, cut into the volcanic tufa hillside at Capodimonte. The catacombs were in use from the second century AD and expanded through the fifth century. They contain remarkable early Christian mosaics, frescoes, and decorative tomb carvings — among the finest surviving examples of early Christian art in Italy.

Guided tours run daily from the entrance at Via Capodimonte 13. The upper basilica contains the tomb of the first bishop of Naples; the lower level the more ancient burials. The tour takes about 45 minutes and includes access to both levels. Combined tickets with the Capodimonte Museum make a logical pairing for the uphill district.

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The catacombs contain one of the oldest mosaic portraits of a Christian bishop in the world — a fifth-century image of Bishop Quodvultdeus, who was exiled by the Vandals. The image is hauntingly direct, painted when the man was still alive, in a place that was already old when he arrived.

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