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Post by NeandertalMan on Jan 8, 2006 10:42:06 GMT -5
 Seiano Grotto TunnelBelow are a series of photographs taken by Oscar Salvi when he was much younger, back in May of 1974. I have also placed copies in the Forum section of the site under Speoleogia Urbana. These great photos show a part of Naples' Cape Posillipo that in no longer accessible to the public. The Grotto di Seiano, which is detailed in our Napoliunderground database under location code C0121 (available for all who register free as site members), is an antique Roman gallery or tunnel created to connect the Flegrea area with the Cape Posillipo and the villa of Vedio Pollione, from whom it is thought the area took its name. Pausylipon in Greek means " place where unhappiness ends" . The tunnel was used also to connect to the panoramic Bay of Trentaremi, home to an ancient Roman port where the Imperial Trireme Fighting Ships of around 480 BC were repaired, giving the bay its name. Click to see the PhotographsFor more news and fascinating information, visit Napoli UndergroundTranslation - Larry Ray |
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Post by Sharon Faulkner on Jan 8, 2006 14:14:43 GMT -5
Nice photos. Are these sea caves Neandertalman?
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Post by NeandertalMan on Jan 8, 2006 14:28:30 GMT -5
Yes Sharon. Are cavities dug from the Roman 2000 years ago.
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Post by Sharon Faulkner on Jan 8, 2006 14:40:16 GMT -5
Thanks much. Obviously I could tell that some were sea caves, but in the other photos some of them appear to have a great deal of vegetation around the entrance, such as this photo: L'uscita sulla parete. This may be one of the Roman tunnels mentioned.
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Post by NeandertalMan on Jan 8, 2006 14:50:24 GMT -5
Yes. This is the escape on the mountain.
Foto "La montagna"
Also "Le grotte a mare" are craft them ... Romans
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Post by Lorenzo on Jan 9, 2006 14:47:51 GMT -5
Sharon,
This amazing ancient tunnel has narrow slit openings every so often that provide a fantastic panorama of the sea off this tall Posillipo cape. The Grotto di Sieano has recently been restored and is now controlled with gated openings and is available for tours by appointment. A problem with this being open with no control was that deadly cluods of carbonic acid gas would accumulate in upper reaches for the tunnel with a potential for nasty consequences. Ventilation holes hace solved the problem. There is a great sory by Fulvio about when he, his brother and a couple of other Naples kids played hookey to explore the tunnel back when everything was wide open. I have been planning to translate it and hope to do that soon. Real Huck Finn in Italy!! Regards, Larry Ray
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Post by Lorenzo on Jan 9, 2006 14:57:03 GMT -5
Also, Sharon, this is not a sea cave, but a man made tunnel 800 meters, 2,600 feet or half a mile long. dating back to Roman times. Over the centuries it was been used as a connecting tunnel between two major parts of the Cape Posillipo Naples area. Jeff Matthews, an American who has lived in Naples for 35+ years has a fascinating Naples Encyclopedia with great info on the Grotta Sieano with recent photos check out at: faculty.ed.umuc.edu/~jmatthew/naples/blog14.htm#mar23 he has two articles on the tunnel. Larry |
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