The Mystery of Naples Saga: The Skull with ears

About this tour

Descend into the basement of Santa Luciella ai Librai, a 14th-century church tucked away on Naples' artisan-filled San Gregorio Armeno street, to encounter a skull with ears—a peculiar relic that Neapolitans once treated as a spiritual intermediary between the living and the dead. This one-hour guided tour, led by an archaeologist and authorised guide, explores the hidden sanctuary reclaimed by local volunteers as both a social hub and historical landmark, revealing how ordinary people sought otherworldly intervention through an unusual object of devotion.

Highlights

• Basement shrine housing the enigmatic skull-with-ears relic
• 14th-century church founded by Bartolomeo Di Capua
• Neapolitan folk spirituality and belief in supernatural messengers
• Reclaimed sacred space restored by community volunteers
• Heart of San Gregorio Armeno craft district
• Archaeological context and medieval guild history
• Entirely wheelchair accessible underground chambers

What to expect

Your archaeologist guide will lead you through the modest entrance into the subterranean chamber where the skull resides—a sobering encounter with the tangible remnants of folk superstition. You'll learn how artisans from the pipework, construction, and stonecutting guilds once came here to whisper petitions, believing this peculiar object would carry their prayers onward. The church itself, restored over recent years by a group of young Neapolitans, sits quietly amid the bustle of the surrounding street of cribs and craftspeople. Expect intimate, candid spaces rather than grand architecture—this is devotion in miniature.

Good to know

The tour lasts roughly one hour. Admission to the church itself isn't included in the tour price. The site is fully wheelchair accessible, including the basement. Public transport runs nearby. The association provides 24-hour support if needed.