Campania is an Italian region with ordinary statute in southern Italy
of 5 588 862 inhabitants. It is the most populous and most densely
populated region of the Mezzogiorno; nationally it is third in terms of
number of inhabitants (after Lombardy and Lazio) and second in terms of
population density, preceded only by Lombardy. Located between the
Tyrrhenian Sea to the southwest and the southern Apennines to the
northeast, it has an area of 13670.95 km². The region borders Lazio to
the north-west, Molise to the north, Puglia to the north-east and
Basilicata to the east. In addition to the regional capital Naples, the
provincial capital cities are Avellino, Benevento, Caserta and Salerno.
Along the coasts of Campania there are four gulfs: the gulf of Gaeta,
the gulf of Naples, the gulf of Salerno and the gulf of Policastro.
The hinterland was already inhabited at the beginning of the 1st
millennium BC. by the Oscans, followed by the Samnites of Italian
descent. From the 8th century BC. along the coast various settlements of
populations of Greek civilization developed from which the Magna Graecia
colonies of Pithecusa, Cuma, Parthenope, Neapolis and Poseidonia
originated. The Campanian plain was also the extreme southern limit of
Etruscan expansion. In the second half of the 4th century BC, with the
Samnite wars, the region was placed under the influence of Rome, which
renamed it Campania felix in reference to its prosperity, although the
territory of ancient Campania only partially corresponded to that of the
modern region. With the decline of Roman civilization, the political
unity of the region also disintegrated, and from the 6th century it came
to a large extent under Lombard influence and to a lesser extent under
Byzantine influence.
In the 12th century, with the rise of the
Norman dynasty, the region found political unity under the crown of the
Kingdom of Sicily (with the exception of the city of Benevento, which
was instead subjected to the State of the Church). From the 13th to the
19th century, with the succession of the Angevin, Aragonese and Bourbon
dynasties, the kingdom of Naples, and in particular the capital and its
court, became one of the main cultural, artistic and economic poles of
Europe. In contemporary times, the region, with the rest of the South,
is experiencing a situation of persistent socio-economic development
difficulty compared to the north of the country, known as the southern
question.
Campania is the first Italian region for sites and
elements registered in the UNESCO World Heritage Lists, thanks to 10
awards: the Mediterranean diet, the art of the Neapolitan "pizza
makers", the shoulder machines of Nola, the center history of Naples,
the royal palace of Caserta, the monumental complex of Santa Sofia in
Benevento, Pompeii with Herculaneum and Oplontis, the Amalfi coast, the
Cilento national park with Paestum, Velia and the Certosa di Padula, as
well as transhumance. In Campania there are 5 of the top 20 most visited
state sites in 2020 according to the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and
Activities.
The region has always been a destination for seaside tourism: thanks to the long coast and the islands (Island of Capri, Ischia, Procida) it attracts tourists mainly in the summer.
Italian and Neapolitan are the languages spoken in the region. In the
territory, however, there are local variants, always belonging to the
Neapolitan linguistic group.
A peculiarity is constituted by the
municipality of Greci, located in the province of Avellino, which is the
only village in Campania where the ancient Albanian, called arbëresh, is
spoken. In addition to the language, many traditions have also remained
intact over time in Greece.
Agro Aversano with Aversa and minor towns.
Amalfi coast with
Amalfi, Ravello, Vietri sul Mare.
Cilento coast
Sorrento coast
The green Irpinia, full of forests and mountains.
Naples — Capital of the region, of
undisputed fame for its cultural and historical importance. It rises in
a large basin between Vesuvius, the Campi Flegrei and the sea.
Caserta - It extends all around the great, famous
Bourbon palace.
Benevento - Ancient Samnite
city, teeming with monuments from all eras.
Avellino
- It rises in the middle of a valley basin, squeezed between the
mountains.
Salerno - In the center of the
homonymous gulf, it had great importance in medieval times: the Salerno
medical school was famous at that time.
Paestum — Ancient colony of Magna
Graecia, preserves many monuments intact.
Pompeii - next to Vesuvius and famous
for its excavations and for its Marian shrine.
Herculaneum - city famous for its excavations of the Roman
city founded, according to legend, by Hercules and destroyed together
with Pompeii by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD.
Pozzuoli — City of
certain historical and cultural value with its testimonies of the Roman
and seventeenth century. It is located in a unique landscape between the
sea, volcanic lakes (for example Lake Averno), forests (the Cuma forest
is nearby) and parks (a short distance away is the Astroni park nature
reserve ). Land of myths and legends, it is enough to remember that here
at the lake of Averno the ancient Greeks and Romans placed one of the
entrances to the underworld. The volcanic nature of the area has made
possible some excellent wines including the Falanghina dei Campi Flegrei
(DOC). Pozzuoli is famous for its fish market and the restaurants with
typical local products are renowned.
Ariano Irpino - It is the
largest mountain municipality in Campania. Of early medieval origin, it
is characterized by the many historical and religious museums, by the
breathtaking views, as well as by its typical cuisine, rich in Apennine
specialties.
Amalfi
Isle of Capri (including the main town of
Capri and Anacapri): This iconic, glamorous limestone island rises
dramatically from the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula. Famous
for its jaw-dropping cliffs, the luminescent Blue Grotto sea cave, the
Faraglioni sea stacks, luxurious villas, and celebrity appeal, it offers
world-class views, hiking trails to Monte Solaro, and chic boutiques.
It's a perfect mix of natural beauty, history (Roman emperor villas),
and upscale island vibes.
Castel dell'Ovo
("Egg Castle"): Naples' oldest castle, built on the tiny former island
of Megaride (now a peninsula) in the Gulf of Naples. This historic
seafront fortress, with Norman origins and legends tied to Virgil and a
mythical egg, offers panoramic harbor views, ancient ruins, and a
charming waterfront setting with nearby seafood restaurants in Borgo
Marinaro.
Oplontis (Villa
Poppaea): An extraordinarily well-preserved ancient Roman seaside villa
near Torre Annunziata (between Naples and Sorrento), buried by Vesuvius
in 79 AD. Likely belonging to Emperor Nero's wife Poppaea, it features
stunning frescoes, expansive gardens, swimming pools, and opulent
architecture—less crowded than Pompeii but equally impressive.
Matese
Lake and Monte Miletto / Matese Massif: A scenic inland escape in the
Campania/Molise border region. Lago del Matese is a beautiful mountain
lake ideal for nature lovers, while Monte Miletto (2,050 m) is the
highest peak of the rugged Matese massif, offering rewarding hikes with
panoramic views over valleys, forests, and the lake below—great for
outdoor adventures like snowshoeing in winter or trekking in summer.
Positano: The postcard-perfect vertical town on the Amalfi Coast, with
pastel-colored buildings cascading down steep cliffs to a sparkling sea.
Renowned for its glamorous beaches, fashion boutiques, hiking paths
(like the Sentiero degli Dei), boat tours, and sunset views—iconic,
romantic, and energetic, though hilly and best explored slowly.
Island of Ischia: The largest island in the Gulf of Naples, known as the
"Green Island" for its lush vegetation, volcanic hot springs, and
thermal spas. It boasts beautiful beaches, Aragonese Castle, charming
towns, hiking trails, and relaxing wellness vibes—more laid-back and
authentic than Capri, with excellent food and natural thermal parks.
Procida Island: The smallest and most colorful of the Gulf of Naples
islands, with pastel fishing houses, narrow alleys, black-sand beaches,
and a charming, authentic atmosphere. Named Italy's Capital of Culture
in 2022, it's less touristy, ideal for wandering, sea views from Terra
Murata, and experiencing everyday island life.
Campi Flegrei
(Phlegraean Fields): A vast, active volcanic caldera west of Naples
featuring craters, fumaroles, thermal springs, ancient sites (like the
Macellum in Pozzuoli), and scenic lakes. This fascinating "burning
fields" area offers unique geology, archaeology, and hiking—home to over
half a million people and full of raw natural power.
Sorrento: A
sophisticated cliffside gateway town on the Sorrentine Peninsula
overlooking the Bay of Naples. Known for lemon groves, limoncello,
panoramic terraces, historic center (Piazza Tasso, churches, cloisters),
beaches, and as a base for Amalfi Coast and Capri excursions—elegant,
walkable, and full of maritime charm.
Campi Flegrei Regional Park
This volcanic wonder, also known as the
Phlegraean Fields, encompasses a vast ancient caldera west of Naples. It
features dramatic craters, solfataras (steaming vents), hydrothermal
springs, and iconic sites like Lake Averno, Solfatara, and
archaeological treasures from Greek and Roman times. Established in
2003, it spans multiple municipalities and islands (including parts of
Ischia and Procida), blending natural geological activity with rich
cultural heritage.
Monti Lattari Regional Park
Covering much of
the Sorrento Peninsula between Naples and Salerno, this park protects
the rugged Lattari Mountains (known for their "milky" name origin). It
offers stunning coastal and mountain landscapes, including the famous
Path of the Gods (Sentiero degli Dei) trail, with panoramic views over
the Amalfi Coast, Capri, and the sea. Highlights include beech forests,
high peaks like Monte San Michele (around 1,444 m), and excellent hiking
opportunities.
Monti Picentini Regional Park
Situated east of
Naples in the inland areas of Salerno and Avellino provinces, this park
safeguards the Picentini Mountains. It is renowned for its lush
woodlands, scenic waterfalls, rivers, and diverse hiking trails suitable
for various skill levels. The area supports rich biodiversity and serves
as a peaceful retreat with small communities nestled among the peaks.
Diecimare Natural Park
A WWF-managed oasis located between Cava de'
Tirreni and nearby towns in the province of Salerno. This smaller
natural reserve features dense woodlands, open clearings, hills, and
panoramic viewpoints. It is ideal for easy to moderate hikes, nature
observation, and enjoying the tranquil Mediterranean mountain
environment.
Sarno River Hydrographic Basin Regional Park
This
park focuses on the watershed of the Sarno River, one of the shortest
yet historically significant rivers in Italy, flowing from the Picentini
Mountains toward the Bay of Naples near Pompeii. It protects river
ecosystems, floodplains, and surrounding municipalities, supporting
efforts in environmental restoration, biodiversity, and sustainable
management of this vital hydrographic basin.
Matese Regional Park
Straddling the provinces of Caserta and Benevento (with links to
Molise), this expansive mountain park centers on the Matese Massif. It
boasts high limestone peaks, ancient beech forests, karst lakes (notably
Lake Matese), and a wide range of outdoor activities including trekking,
climbing, skiing, canyoning, and birdwatching. It is a premier
destination for nature lovers seeking wild, high-mountain scenery in
southern Italy.
Regional Park of Partenio
Established in 2002
across parts of Avellino, Benevento, Caserta, and Naples provinces, this
park covers woodlands, ravines, and low mountains rich in chestnut, oak,
and beech forests. It offers scenic trails with views toward the Gulf of
Naples, historical sites, and opportunities for hiking and chestnut
picking in season. It spans around 15,000 hectares and includes 22
municipalities.
Taburno Regional Park - Camposauro
Also known as
the Taburno-Camposauro Regional Park, this protected area in the
Benevento province (Sannio area) preserves the Taburno-Camposauro
massif—nicknamed "the Sleeper of Sannio" for its distinctive profile
resembling a reclining figure. It features dense forests, wild nature,
historical and cultural sites, and trails across about 12,370 hectares,
providing a peaceful escape with strong ties to local traditions and
agriculture.
Roccamonfina-Foce Garigliano Regional Park — The Roccamonfina-Foce
Garigliano Regional Park involves the municipalities of Sessa Aurunca,
Teano and five municipalities that are part of the Monte Santa Croce
mountain community: Roccamonfina, for the entire territory, partially
Marzano Appio, Conca of Campania, Galluccio and Tora and Piccilli. The
entire area is dominated by the extinct volcano of Roccamonfina and has
the Garigliano river as its geographical limit. The course of the river
has dug its riverbed between the volcanic soils of Roccamonfina and the
calcareous soils of the Aurunci Mountains.
Punta Campanella protected
marine natural area — Promontory and marine reserve in the Gulf of
Salerno.
By plane
The airports that cover the area are those of
Naples-Capodichino (NAP), located in the province of Naples, of
Salerno-Pontecagnano "Costa d'Amalfi", located between the
municipalities of Bellizzi and Pontecagnano Faiano and partly also that
of Foggia ( FOG), in Puglia.
By car
The Autostrada del Sole
(the A1) to the north starts in Naples, the A3 autoroute to the south
and the A16 autoroute to the Adriatic (called the Autostrada dei Due
Mari). The Naples ring road, also called A56 Casoria-Pozzuoli, runs
along the outside of the city and connects all the districts of Naples,
with the exception of the historic centre. Furthermore, between the
provinces of Naples and Caserta, there is the median axis and the
support axis, which cut the interior horizontally, connecting areas that
are more difficult to access. The cities of Benevento and Avellino, on
the other hand, are connected to the Due Mari motorway with two
junctions. Furthermore, Benevento is connected to the A1 via the
Telesina. Caserta and Salerno are connected to each other via the A30.
On boat
The ports of Naples and Salerno are among the busiest in
Italy for the movement of goods and passengers as well as the places
from which to access the region by ship; for the size of the passenger
port, the Neapolitan one holds first place nationally and the second in
the world, while the Salerno one is only recently specializing in the
cruise sector.
Then there are other tourist ports in the region,
such as the Marina d'Arechi in Salerno, or the small tourist ports of
Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano and those of the gulf islands.
On the
train
The central station of Naples is the main bell station for rail
transport, connecting the urban center with the other important cities
of Italy. Furthermore, Naples is part of the high-speed line that
connects it with Salerno, Rome, Florence, Bologna, Milan and Turin.
On boat
For travel within the region, the ship is excellent for
reaching the islands from Naples and Sorrento.
On the train
The railway networks that connect the Campania municipalities are the
Circumvesuviana, the Cumana and the Circumflegrea, as well as the
Naples-Giugliano-Aversa line, which connects Naples with the province of
Caserta. The regional metropolitan system, born in 2000, has increased
and strengthened the integrated transport service extended to the entire
region, managed by the Unico Campania Consortium.
In Mercogliano,
in the province of Avellino, there is the Montevergine funicular; one of
the steepest in Europe.
Campania can boast 6 World Heritage Sites included in the UNESCO
list. They are as follows:
Historic center of Naples:
Capodimonte
Park and Capodimonte Palace
Castel Sant'Elmo
Charterhouse of San
Martino
Floridiana Villa and Park
Villa Rosebery
Municipal park
of Naples
Botanical Garden of Naples (or Real Orto Botanico)
District of Villa Manzo, Church of Santa Maria della Consolazione in
Villanova
Clear sea
District of Casale and Church of Santo Strato
in Posillipo
Reggia di Caserta, the Carolino aqueduct and the
complex of San Leucio
Archaeological areas of Pompeii, Herculaneum
and Torre Annunziata:
Pompeii
Herculaneum
Announced Tower
Amalfi Coast
National Park of Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni,
with the archaeological sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di
San Lorenzo
Region of Punta Licosa and Monte Stella
Region of Capo
Palinuro, Punta degli Infreschi and Mount Bulgheria
Longobards in
Italy: the places of power (568-774 AD):
Monumental complex of Santa
Sofia with the Museum of Sannio (Benevento)
Archaeological park of
Aeclanum
Traveling by bike The silent way.
Mulini in Festa (in Salerno).
Two days in August. The event, in fact, renews the appointment with the
two days of entertainment in the splendid setting of the Parco dei
Mulini.
Watermelon Palio (In Altavilla Irpina). 16-17-18 August.
Historical re-enactment with a spectacular costume parade of over 600
participants along the spectacular Corso di Altavilla decorated for the
occasion.
Great Tirade (A Mirabella Eclano). The third Saturday of
September. A 25-metre-high straw obelisk pulled by oxen is carried in
triumph for the Sorrowful Madonna and managed along the way by expert
funiologists who avoid its disastrous fall.
Campania cuisine is one of the most popular in the world, being able
to export numerous products recognized nationally and in Europe.
The regional (and national) symbol of cuisine is undoubtedly the
Neapolitan pizza, recognized by the European Union with the STG brand.
Some typical dishes of Campania cuisine are: cardone (typical dish of
the province of Benevento), pasta with beans typical of the province of
Benevento, of the upper province of Caserta and of the Neapolitan area,
eggplant parmigiana (dish from Campania), impepata di cozze (Naples),
sasicc' e friariell' (Naples), caprese (Naples), maritata soup
(Benevento), octopus 'alla luciana' (Naples), spaghetti allo scoglio
(Naples), pasta and beans with mussels (Naples), paccheri with meat
sauce (Naples), aubergines in chocolate (Salerno), spaghetti with clams
(Naples), maccaronara (Castelvetere sul Calore - Avellino), crusìcchi
(Salerno), mugnatiello (Benevento) .
As for desserts, however,
the most famous are:
Nougat (Dentecane di Pietradefusi, Ospedaletto
d'Alpinolo, Benevento, Grottaminarda, San Marco dei Cavoti)
Baba
(Naples)
Castellammare Biscuits (Castellammare di Stabia)
Chiacchiere (all the region)
Lemon delight
Struffoli (all the
region)
Sfogliatella (Naples)
Zeppole di San Giuseppe (whole
region)
Pastiera (all the region)
Mustaccioli (all the region)
Pantorrone (Dentecane from Pietradefusi)
Roccocò (all the region)
Crunchy (San Marco dei Cavoti)
Roccagloriosa nougat
Honey (all
region)
Drinks
The wines with Denomination of Controlled and
Guaranteed Origin (DOCG) are:
Taburno Aglianico
Fiano of Avellino
Tufo Greek
Taurasi
The wines with Denomination of Controlled
Origin (DOC) are: Aversa, Campi Flegrei, Capri (white and red), Castel
San Lorenzo, Cilento, Costa d'Amalfi, Falanghina del Sannio, Falerno del
Massico, Galluccio, Irpinia, Ischia, Peninsula Sorrento, Sannio,
Vesuvius.
The wines with Typical Geographical Indication (IGT)
are: Benevento or Benevento, Campania, Catalanesca del Monte Somma,
Colli di Salerno, Dugenta, Epomeo, Paestum, Pompeiano, Roccamonfina,
Terre del Volturno.
Campania has very warm and sociable inhabitants, it is necessary to
adopt the normal behaviors that a tourist must exercise to avoid being
the victim of a crime, do not flaunt too much cash, do not visit
infamous areas and always use common sense. Widespread crime stereotypes
are often an exaggeration.
Vesuvius is constantly monitored by
the various volcanological centres.
Driving can become very
difficult, especially in large cities such as Naples, Salerno, Caserta
and their respective metropolitan areas, as the rules are not followed
by everyone.
The demonstrations of affection by LGBT couples do
not always represent a danger in the city of Naples, even if it is still
possible to be victims of homophobia (especially in smaller towns).
The toponym Campania is not of certain etymology. It would derive, according to some, from the Latin term campus, which means countryside, and, by linguistic mixture, from the Oscan term Kampanom, which indicated the area near the ancient city of Capua, for centuries the main center of the Campanian Plain . Since the studies in this regard have not reached unequivocal conclusions, other scholars argue that the derivation coincides with the meaning of "countryside", as the well-known expression "Campania felix" would suggest. In this second sense it is emphasized that the Latin noun "campus" has the meaning of "field, plain, open countryside", which would indicate, together with the equally well-known favorable climate, the particular fertility and amenity of the area.
From its origins to the Roman Empire
The human population of
Campania, and in particular of the internal Apennine areas, has been
attested since the Middle Palaeolithic, i.e. since the age of
Neanderthal man; in fact, the worked and chipped flints with a blonde
patina that emerge in large numbers and in several points of the
Camporeale plateau (near Ariano Irpino) and other neighboring
territories date back to that period, while the nearby Neolithic
settlement of La Starza constitutes the most ancient permanent
settlement of the region.
In the 1st millennium BC. the presence
of populations of Indo-European lineage is attested such as the Osci (or
Opici), the Aurunci, the Ausoni, the Sidicini and the Sanniti; who spoke
the Oscan language (an Indo-European language of the Italic group) and
lived in the inland and mountainous areas, while the Agro Campania was
occupied by the Etruscans and the coastal strip was subject to Greek
colonization. The main Etruscan center was Capua, while the first Greek
settlements led to the birth of centers such as Pithecusa (Ischia), Kyme
(Cuma), first Parthenope and then Neapolis (Naples), Dikaiarcheia
(Pozzuoli), Poseidonia (Paestum), Elea (Ascea ), Pixunte (Policastro
Bussentino), the latter three, however, were in the ancient region of
Lucania. Thus Campania became one of the most important cultural centers
of Magna Graecia, which later exerted a decisive influence on Roman
society and then on the entire western civilization. The Latin alphabet
itself, in good probability, derives from the Chalcidian Greek alphabet
of Cuma.
The first of the Greek colonies in Campania and in the
entire western Mediterranean was the island of Ischia (formerly the site
of Punic-Carthaginian settlements starting from the 10th century BC),
where at the beginning of the 8th century BC. a technical cultural elite
from Calcis of Eubea settled without weapons and with the consent of the
Carthaginians in the bay of Lacco Ameno, a place well known to the
Carthaginians, in order to observe the technological skills of the
Etruscan communities in working the iron of Elba. The first settlement,
called Pithecusa by the Greeks, had a mixed character between Greek and
Carthaginian culture and temporally preceded even those of Naxos and
Megara Hyblaea in southern Sicily (in reality, the geographer Strabone,
as well as the careful study of the myth of the Siren Partenope and
other historical facts attributable to that period, have provided good
theses regarding an earlier Rhodian settlement located on the islet of
Megaride (which, attributable to the 9th century BC, would constitute
the first nucleus of the future Naples). Following the good relations
woven by this avant-garde, among which the passage of the Greek alphabet
to the Etruscans must be remembered, the settlement of settlers took
place which first affected the island of Ischia and then expanded to the
mainland to a limited and marginal area interest, for the pre-existing
Etruscan-Samnite civilization, and in particular in the Neapolitan area.
At first they settled in Cuma (the closest point on the mainland to
Lacco Ameno) and then they settled in Dicearchia (Pozzuoli), Parthenope
and then in the definitive Nea Polis (i.e. Naples today), in which an
urban layout was built chessboard made up of plateiai and stenopoi,
which later became the area of the decumani of Naples in Roman times. It
is also interesting to note how the populous and dense metropolitan city
of Naples occupies a decidedly small space in the overall regional area.
In fact, the Greek settlement took place only along the coasts, while
the inner part was inhabited by the Etruscans who gave life to a league
of twelve municipalities headed by Capua, Nuceria, Nola, Acerra,
Suessula.
The Samnites, who came from the mountains, had already
settled along the coast of Campania for some time, establishing
commercial contacts with the Etruscans and the Greeks; at this point the
Samnites split into two "factions" one agglomerated along the coast
which had become familiar with the other populations, the other which
continued to live in the mountains isolating itself from other cultures
and seeing the other faction badly; in fact in 343 B.C. the rich
Campanian city of Capua had asked the Romans for help against the
Samnites, who practiced acts of guerrilla warfare, but the Romans failed
to eradicate the Samnites, but in exchange they allied themselves with
Capua. The anti-Roman coalition called "Lega Latina" was fed again, to
which the Romans were part, but which due to "quarrels" did not come out
without a fight; therefore after about 150 from its formation, the Latin
league was dissolved (in 341 BC, when the first Samnite war ended) due
to the interference in Roman affairs in Campania; cities that remained
loyal to Rome were rewarded with Roman citizenship. Naples also asked
for an alliance with the Romans only to obtain citizenship, but in this
case the senate did not consult the opinion of the people and the
Samnites returned to action, unleashing the second Samnite war (326-304
BC) managing to defeat the Romans at Caudium , in the province of
Benevento, in the battle that took the name of "Forche Caudine". Because
of this heavy defeat the Romans remodeled the army to be able to
confront the Samnites who lived in the mountains. In the third Samnite
war (298-290 BC) the Romans saw themselves against the Gauls, the
Etruscans, the Samnites and other Italic peoples, who they managed to
defeat in the battle of Sentino (295 BC) in the Marches; and in 290 BC.
against the Etruscans when Manio Curio Dentato forced them to make
peace. 290 BC . During the Second Punic War, only a few cities allied
themselves with the Carthaginians, the most important being Capua, which
was reconquered in 211 BC, while most of the region remained loyal to
Rome. Administratively it was part of the Regio I Campania which was
then transformed, in the times of Diocletian, into the Campaniae
Province; both jurisdictions extended to the current southern Lazio, but
did not include the areas of Cilento and Vallo di Diano (linked to
Lucania) nor the extreme hinterland of Irpinia (aggregated to Apulia and
Calabria). During the Roman period, many powerful people built their
summer villas along the coast. Also from an economic point of view there
was an extraordinary development of agriculture and commerce, the region
had in fact always been one of the richest areas of the classical and
Roman world and this earned it the nickname of Campania Felix. In
Naples, near the present Castel dell'Ovo, the emperor Romulus Augustus
died after 511, whose previous deposition in 476 had decreed the fall of
the Western Roman Empire.
From the 5th century AD. Campania progressively lost its unity as
small parts of its territory went to Byzantium and all the rest to the
Lombard princes. At the end of the 5th century AD, in fact, the Lombards
descended into Italy arriving as far as Campania and there establishing
the duchy of Benevento. With the fall of Pavia, the duchy of Benevento
became a principality until it was annexed, towards the 11th century, to
the possession of the pontiff (for this reason it is called by
historians the Pope's balcony over southern Italy). From Benevento the
principalities of Salerno and Capua had been detached, which did not
become part of the State of the Church.
The duchy of Naples fell
into Byzantine hands in 536, but soon this territory rebelled against
the central authorities, becoming a truly autonomous state. Freeing
themselves from the Byzantine government, similar independent state
entities arose in Gaeta, Sorrento and Amalfi, representing on various
occasions an effective barrier to Saracen expansion in the territories
of Southern and Central Italy. Significant in this sense are the
"leagues of Campania" formed between these four duchies in 849 and 915,
when the battle of Ostia and the battle of Garigliano were fought
victoriously.
In 1022 the Normans acquired the county of Ariano,
then (in 1030) the feud of Aversa, ceded by one of the last dukes of
Naples: these historical episodes caused the rise of the powerful Norman
dynasty. Within a century, starting from those outposts, they were able
to unify and politically subjugate a large part of the territories of
Southern Italy. Campania was included in the Kingdom of Sicily, and
entrusted to the respective sovereigns (Altavilla, Hohenstaufen,
Angevins and Aragonese).
With the Sicilian Vespers, there was the
beginning of the Ninety Years War. The Kingdom of Sicily was divided and
the Angevin dynasty was left with southern mainland Italy which then
became the Kingdom of Naples. Then followed the Aragonese dynasty, under
whose reign Naples became one of the most important centers of the
Renaissance and Humanism. Alfonso V of Aragon, managed to temporarily
reconstitute the unification of the two kingdoms. Naples under this
ruler became a real capital of the Mediterranean.
With Charles V
the Kingdom of Naples became a viceroyalty of Spain, with Naples as its
capital. The policy of the Spanish sovereigns was not infrequently
centered on a heavy tax burden due to the many wars of the time in which
Spain was involved; the Neapolitan viceroyalty was in fact one of the
main suppliers of money and men for the Spanish cause: this sometimes
triggered revolts by the poorer classes.
After the war of the Polish succession and the Austrian parenthesis,
Campania passed to the kingdom of the Bourbons of Naples. The first king
was Charles of Bourbon, known for having implemented many economic and
legislative reforms, with which Naples underlined its status as a great
European capital. Furthermore, during his reign, with the aim of giving
a worthy representative seat to his realm, the Royal Palace of Caserta
was built, the work of Luigi Vanvitelli completed in 1845 and defined as
the last great achievement of the Italian Baroque.
In the context
of the Napoleonic campaign in Italy and of the Jacobin republics, in
1799 the Parthenopean Republic was proclaimed in Naples which, amid
financial problems and insurrectionary outbreaks, however, was
short-lived, being defeated by the so-called Sanfedista army, which was
followed by a ferocious repression with numerous sentences to death.[30]
Subsequently, after this very brief but intense experience, Napoleon
Bonaparte first appointed his brother Giuseppe and then his
brother-in-law Gioacchino Murat as King of Naples, who definitively
abolished the feud. After the Napoleonic age, the Congress of Vienna
re-entrusted the Kingdom of Naples to the Bourbons who reunited it with
the Kingdom of Sicily, giving life to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies,
with Palermo as its capital (the following year it was moved to Naples).
During the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, records and historical
innovations were achieved in Campania: the largest metalworking
industrial complex in Italy (Pietrarsa, which later became a museum)
with over a thousand employees and also famous in Europe, the largest
shipbuilding industry in Italy (in Naples and Castellammare di Stabia;
the latter first in Italy in size with 1,800 workers), the first
steamship in continental Europe (the Ferdinando I), the first steam
warship in Italy (the pyrofrigate Ercole), the first ship propelled by
propeller (the Giglio delle Onde), the first ship equipped with a steam
engine built entirely in Italy (the Ettore Fieramosca), the first
military ship powered by a propeller and in metal (the Borbone), the
first experiment electric lighting in an Italian city (at Capodimonte),
the first suspension bridges in Italy (the Real Ferdinando bridge over
the Garigliano and the Maria Cristina bridge), the first hotel for the
poor (the Real Albergo dei Poveri), the first railway and the first
stations in Italy (1839, Naples-Portici line), the first opera house in
Europe (the San Carlo), the first system of lenticular lighthouses in
Italy, the first seismological observatory in the world (the Vesuvius
Observatory), the first musical conservatories, various schools of "Arts
and crafts", the first pension system in Italy (with the Law on
Jubilations and Pensions of 3 May 1816) and the first socialist statute
in the world (San Leucio silk factory).
Despite this, the kingdom
remained an absolute monarchy and Campania was involved in the liberal
uprisings of 1820, which manifested themselves in the revolt led by
General Guglielmo Pepe: intimidated, King Ferdinand first bestowed a
Constitution, then withdrew it and repressed the opposition by demanding
Austrian military aid. This was repeated in the uprisings of 1848 when,
after the umpteenth insurrection, Ferdinand II granted a constitutional
charter; after a few months, however, the sovereign revoked it,
dissolving the chambers and restoring absolutism.
Furthermore,
the region was hit, like the rest of Europe, by cholera epidemics which
decimated the population of the kingdom in 1835-37 and in 1854-55; in
many places riots broke out which in several cases led to real riots.
Even Campania was then involved in the liberal revolts and in the
riots for the unification of Italy, until in 1861 the region was
conquered and annexed to the nascent Kingdom of Italy. Also due to the
new post-unification national policies in the economic field and the
management of public goods, Campania, like the rest of Italy,
experienced the problem of emigration. This contributed to increasing
banditry which, born in Basilicata, spread to the rest of the South and
was severely repressed by the Italian army.
At the end of the 19th
century, Naples underwent a profound urban transformation with the
demolition of numerous buildings and the construction of new districts
and buildings; in this period there was the birth of numerous
café-concerts and a dynamic cultural and social environment in the
former capital.
The region was involved in the Great War, with Naples
being bombed by German aviation in 1918 despite being far from the
battlefront and complaining of many civilian casualties. The Neapolitan
city was also the protagonist of the fascist rally of 1922, which was
followed by the March on Rome which brought Mussolini to power.
In
1925 the first subway in Italy was inaugurated in the Neapolitan city,
with the Naples-Pozzuoli section.
During the Second World War, Campania was the scene of some famous
military operations, such as the landing in Salerno and the Four Days of
Naples. In the period following the landing, the city of Salerno hosted
the first governments of post-fascist Italy and the royal family,
becoming the de facto capital of Italy until the liberation of Rome
(mid-August 1944).
After the war, Campania was part of that group
of regions in Southern Italy, a source of emigration especially towards
Northern Italy, while retaining a more solid economic structure than the
rest of the South.
In 1980 the region was devastated by the
Irpinia earthquake which struck at 19:34 on Sunday 23 November: a strong
shock measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale, lasting about 90 seconds with
a hypocenter about 30 km deep . Among the most devastated municipalities
were Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, Lioni, Torella dei Lombardi, Conza della
Campania, Teora, Laviano, Calabritto, Senerchia and other neighboring
countries. However, there was no lack of effects from the earthquake
throughout the central-southern area of the peninsula, including Naples.
Finally, in 1994, the waste crisis began in Campania and the entire
region was in a state of emergency relating to the ordinary disposal of
municipal solid waste. The state of emergency then officially ceased
after more than 15 years, on the basis of a decree law approved by the
Italian government on 17 December 2009 which decreed the end of the
state of emergency and of the extraordinary receivership.