The Castle of Baia, built between 1490 and 1493 by the Aragonese and expanded between the 16th and 18th centuries during the Spanish Viceroyalty, stands atop the promontory that marks the southern edge of the Gulf of Baia.
Integrated into the defensive system of the Gulf—together with the Castle of Ischia, Castel dell’Ovo, and Castel Sant’Elmo—it was the result of a series of layered fortifications that concealed a grand Roman villa traditionally attributed to Caesar
- Web Prisons of the Aragonese Castle of Baia
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Feature List
- Info line
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Accessibility
Site Partially Accessible
BRIEF HISTORICAL NOTES
The castle underwent a major renovation under the Spanish Viceroy between 1531 and 1538—the year of the sudden eruption of Monte Nuovo. From the 17th century onward, the prisons were used to detain rebellious followers of Tommaso Campanella, thieves, and pirates.
The sequence of rooms—narrow and bare—was mostly inhabited during World War II, when many fascist officials and Nazis were imprisoned there.
In the aftermath of the war, numerous graffiti—depicting, among other things, sailing ships, lush plants, and slogans praising the Duce—bear witness to these occupants in a gloomy place, nonetheless situated in one of the most beautiful spots along the Gulf.
Services
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Didactics for schools
School Reservations:
Monday to Friday, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
848 082 408 (from Italy)
+39 06 39967200 (from mobile phones and abroad)
edu@coopculture.it
available in Italian, English, French, Spanish -
Visits
Group Reservations:
available in Italian, English, French, Spanish
Monday to Friday, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
+39 06 39967450
tour@coopculture.it
Additional Info
- Fixed departure visits for individuals:
First Sunday of the month: 10:30 – 11:45 – 12:45 – 13:30 - Reservation Required
- To access and visit, it is necessary to purchase an entrance ticket to the Archaeological Museum of the Phlegraean Fields in the Castle of Baia.
Where
Via Castello 39, Bacoli, NA
Transportation
Metro: Line 2, Pozzuoli station
Bus: SEPSA Line 1 Monte di Procida – Naples, stop at Via Terracciano
