Miglio d'oro

The Miglio d'oro (German: gold mile) is an area that extends on the coast and at the southern foot of Vesuvius over the western districts of Naples ( Barra and San Giovanni a Teduccio ) and the neighboring communities of San Giorgio a Cremano , Portici , Ercolano extends to Torre del Greco . The gold mile is known for the countless, mostly baroque villas that the Neapolitan upper class had built here since the beginning of the 18th century.

The years 1700 to 1860

The center of this aristocratic villa area was the Portici Royal Palace , completed in 1752 , a baroque country palace of the Bourbons who ruled Naples and Sicily . The social status of the respective noble owner of a villa can often be recognized by the size and shape of the building, the furnishings (interior, garden) and the location (distance to the sea, view, proximity to the royal palace). The architect's prominence also had a certain expressiveness.

The following villas and castles have been well restored and in some cases can also be visited:

• Portici
  • Royal Palace Portici ( Reggia di Portici or Palazzo Reale di Portici )
• Ercolano
  • Villa Campolieto
  • Villa Favorita
  • Villa Ruggiero
  • Villa Signorini

The years 1860 until today

In 1860 Garibaldi's troops entered Naples and the Bourbons began to be driven out of Naples. Most of the country estates along the Gold Mile were abandoned or sold and some of them fell into public and some into private hands. In 1971, by means of a law (Law No. 578 of July 29, 1971), a Society for the Preservation of the Vesuvius Villas was established, the Ente per le Ville Vesuviane , which still exists today . As a result, 121 buildings of the Miglio d'oro were registered as architectural monuments and placed under monument protection.

Despite these measures, many of the baroque villas fell into disrepair and are still in a partly shabby but charming condition. Over time, the former luxury villas have been converted into simple residential buildings that are still inhabited as normal today. In some there are also public offices and schools.

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  The Portici Royal Palace

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  The Villa Campolieto

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  Today's house in San Giovanni a Teduccio

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Christoph Höcker: Gulf of Naples , DuMont, Cologne 1999, p. 189