Piazza del Plebiscito: ceremonial and scenic heart of Naples

Framed by the Royal Palace, the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola, the Teatro di San Carlo, and the Prefecture, Piazza del Plebiscito is a true stone atlas of power and culture. It has been the city’s ceremonial center since the Bourbon era, later becoming a symbol of the political shifts of the 19th century—from kingdom to unified state, from monarchy to democracy.
Its name honors the plebiscite of 1860, which marked the union of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies with the Kingdom of Italy. But the square has gone beyond historical labels: today, it is a symbolic place that belongs to everyone, a mirror of the city itself.

In recent years, Piazza del Plebiscito has regained its life after a long spell as a parking lot. Today, it’s a venue for concerts, public performances, sports events, and institutional ceremonies. When the square fills up, Naples celebrates itself.
But it’s also part of daily life: for those crossing it in the morning toward via Toledo, for those pausing at sunset with Vesuvius in the background, for those seeking shelter beneath the colonnades on rainy days. Every Neapolitan has a personal memory tied to this square.

The Basilica of San Francesco di Paola, with its neoclassical grandeur, is an architectural homage to the Pantheon in Rome—but with a distinctly Neapolitan soul. Its semi-circular colonnade draws a symbolic embrace: the city embracing its people, the past welcoming the present.
Opposite, the Royal Palace, with statues of the rulers who shaped Naples’ history, watches over the city’s ever-changing flow. And just nearby, the Teatro di San Carlo—the oldest working opera house in Europe—tells of Naples’ enduring passion for art and performance.

Piazza del Plebiscito is one of the most shared images of Naples—and also one of the most lived. Some cross it lost in thought, others play soccer, while others still try—eyes closed—to walk across it in a straight line, as legend suggests.
It’s not just a monumental square: it’s an emotional space. A place of memory and belonging, where every passage adds a new layer to its story.

• Because it’s the symbolic heart of modern Naples
• Because every stone tells a story of art, power, history, and culture
• Because it’s a lively, used, loved square
• Because it’s the perfect starting point to discover iconic Naples

Piazza del Plebiscito is Naples striking a pose—but never losing its soul. It’s the photo of a city that changes form, but not voice. A voice that rises from here, proud and resonant, through the centuries.