Cento Camerelle
Two-level Roman cistern system at Bacoli, known as the “Prigioni di Nerone” (Nero’s Prisons), visitable only with a guide, by booking and wearing a hard hat.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Cento Camerelle is a partly explored complex of cisterns, built to meet the enormous water demand of a Roman villa above it. It develops on two levels: at the top a large four-aisled cistern, with three rows of pillars and barrel vaults, about 3 metres below ground level; lower down, at about 6 metres depth and reached by an iron ramp, two parallel corridors crossed by a third, in rooms about 4 metres high.
The structures have been known since the 16th century, and literary tradition also calls them the “Prigioni di Nerone” (Nero’s Prisons). The original core dates from the Republican period; in the imperial period the complex was enlarged, probably when the villa passed into imperial property. They were a stop on the Grand Tour: drawings and signatures of visitors remain on the walls, including that of Allan Ramsay of 1737.
After the Bourbon excavations, from 1910 Amedeo Maiuri began systematic campaigns and linked the site to the residence of Quinto Ortensio Ortalo. Underwater investigations begun in the 1950s suggest that the villa extended down to the sea, with fishponds and quays. Today the site is part of the Parco archeologico dei Campi Flegrei and is open to the public through a public-private partnership.
Highlights
- Large four-aisled cistern with three rows of pillars
- Lower level about 6 metres deep, reached by an iron ramp
- Signatures and drawings of Grand Tour travellers, including that of Allan Ramsay (1737)
- Link with the villa of Quinto Ortensio Ortalo
- Guided visit with a hard hat
- Operated by
- Parco archeologico dei Campi Flegrei
- Visitors per year
- approx. 731
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2visitors aged 6 to under 18 |
| Children & teens | €2free up to age 5 · Free admission for children under 6; €2 for ages 6 to under 18. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and one companion. |
| Combined ticket Piscina Mirabilis + Cento Camerelle (valid 1 day) | €8 |
Admission is also free for tour guides. Tickets are booked online and shown on a mobile phone.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The site is listed as not accessible; the lower level is reached by an iron ramp. Wearing a hard hat is required.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bacoli – Via lungolago
From Napoli Centrale station by metro line 2 to Campi Flegrei, then bus 101 to the stop Bacoli – Via lungolago. Alternatively by the Cumana railway from Napoli Montesanto (Fusaro or Lucrino stop), then an EAV bus.
By car from the Naples bypass (Tangenziale): exit 14 Arco Felice, direction Pozzuoli and Bacoli. The site lies in the narrow streets of Bacoli, near the church of Sant’Anna; from the bus stop it is about a 15-minute walk.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 45 min |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided visits only; entry is permitted subject to wearing a hard hat. Online booking is compulsory, with telephone assistance every day 9:00–17:00. A performance visit with a wine tasting (“Camerelle Experience”) is also offered. |
