The Fuorigrotta district of Naples is separated from the rest of the city by the Posillipo hill. Together with the Bagnoli district, Fuorigrotta forms the Municipalità 10. The biggest attraction in the district is the Stadio San Paolo, where the Napoli football club plays its home matches.
Fuorigrotta district Naples
History and description
In Roman times, the part of the city now called Fuorigrotta was connected to the rest of Naples by a corridor. The name of this now disused corridor is Crypta Neapolitana.
Fuorigrotta was an important spa, which has been evidenced by the discovery of a building from the 4th century. The ruins of the spa are now incorporated into a university building.
The district was also important in that it formed the link between Naples itself and present-day Pozzuoli. Puteoli was an important port at the time.
Until the end of the 19th century, the area was mainly used for agriculture. From then on, the estates, farms and villas had to make way for workers’ houses.
This also led to the creatio of better connections with the rest of the city. The Quattro Giornate Tunnel and the Galleria Laziale (or Galleria di Posillipo) were built, and a railway line was laid. The latter was later replaced by the current metro line 2.
In the 1930s, the wide Viale Augusto and the Mostra d’Oltremare were built. University buildings were constructed and the San Paolo football stadium was built. The stadium has since been renamed Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
After the Second World War, the district became increasingly built up.