Britannica Sources used in this answer

What ancient sites lie beneath Piazza San Gaetano in Naples?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Piazza San Gaetano in Naples is a site of significant historical continuity, as it overlies the location of the ancient Greek agora and the Roman forum.1

The area remains a focal point of the city's history, bounded by major religious structures that incorporate or sit atop these ancient layers:

  • San Lorenzo Maggiore: This church stands directly on layers of antiquities. Excavations beneath its cloister have revealed substantial remains from both the Greek and Roman eras of Naples.1
  • San Paolo Maggiore: This basilica was constructed on the site of a former Roman temple. Antiquities from this period are still visible, as they have been incorporated into the church's exterior and its adjacent cloister.1