GALLERIA UMBERTO I, History

Hi, I'm Ed, your personal guide. Together with MyWoWo, I'd like to welcome you to one of the wonders of the world.

Today I'll accompany you through the Umberto I Gallery, one of the most elegant places in Naples.

Just imagine, once the neighborhood of Santa Brigida where you now stand was sadly known for its architectural and social degeneration, which was further aggravated by frequent cholera epidemics. But by the end of the nineteenth century everything changed when the "Law for the Recovery of the City of Naples" was issued. This led to the demolition of many of the pre-existing buildings, and this area finally began to be enriched with palaces and monuments, not only becoming the city's major political and cultural center, but also a worldly and commercial one. And this was all thanks to the Gallery that was built in just three years, from 1887 to 1890....