A Roman cathedral of water carved into the tuff
Hidden in a residential street of Bacoli, behind an ordinary gate, lies one of the most impressive works of Roman engineering: the Piscina Mirabilis, the "wonderful pool". It is a huge cistern dug into the tuff hill at the end of the first century BC, under Augustus, to store water from the Serino aqueduct for the Roman fleet stationed at the nearby port of Misenum.
The cistern, about 70 metres long and 25 wide, could hold over 12,000 cubic metres of water. Its vaults rest on 48 pillars arranged in four rows, forming five naves: as you descend the stairs, the effect is that of an underground cathedral, with light filtering in from openings above and the walls still covered with waterproof plaster marked by the old water levels. It is one of the largest Roman cisterns known.
Tip: the site is managed by the Phlegraean Fields Archaeological Park and opens on set days with a guide; check timetables in advance. Nearby is the Cento Camerelle, another fascinating underground complex.
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