The greek city of Neapolis, as usual in the ancient greek towns, had developed around three straight streets running parallel from East to the West (called "plateiai" by Greeks and "decumani" by Romans) and crossed by several secondary streets at right angles. They correspond to the actual streets of Via Anticaglia, Via Tribunali and Spaccanapoli (starting from North to the South) that are however on an higher ground level, because what remains of the ancient Greek and Roman buildings are situated nowadays underground and can be partially visited with the guides of the association "Napoli Sotterranea" (Undeground Naples).

The main decumanus was Via Tribunali and in its middle there was the main public square with the marketplace and the temples ("agora" for Greeks, "forum" by Romans), corresponding to the current Piazza San Gaetano. But the most interesting decumanus for tourist in the southern one, because they had been built on it many important monuments during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. And also because its straight path, extended until the Vomero hill, has a strong scenographic impact, giving the impression to cut the city of Naples in two parts, from which its name "Spaccanapoli" (Cutting Naples).

At the west end of the ancient decumanus of Spaccanapoli there is Piazza del Gesł (Jesus' Square), rich of history and monuments. Here had been the Royal Gate built by the Angevins and here is the Gothic Church of Santa Chiara with adjacent monastery, founded in 1310 by King Robert of Anjou, decorated by Giotto and celebrated by Petrarch. Its interiors had been deeply changed in 18th century, but the church was bombed and almost completely destroyed during the Second World War. It has been reconstructed following the original Gothic plan and inside we can still fortunately see the sculptures by Tino di Camaino on the tombs of some members of the Royal family of Anjou.  [ More...]