The catacombs of St Gaudiosus in Naples

The Catacombs of St Gaudiosus, located in the Stella district of Naples, are a remnant of a pre-existing Greek-Roman necropolis. Known as the burial site of St Gaudiosus, a bishop who arrived in Naples in the 5th century, these catacombs were probably occupied on a pre-existing Greek-Roman necropolis.

The catacombs returned to their original burial function after the urbanization of Rione Sanità began only around the sixteenth century. Although covered by the church above, built in the 17th century, only a portion of the original structure remains today. The catacombs were also used as open-air graves during the plague in the 17th century.

Access to the catacombs is in the crypt, under the raised presbytery of the church of Santa Maria della Sanità. At the entrance, an arcosolium guards the Tomb of St Gaudiosus with a sixth-century mosaic decoration.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons