Unlocking the Secrets of Naples' Masonic Temple

For the traditional cultural event organized by the Municipality of Naples, the “May of Monuments,” the doors of the temple, which is more inaccessible than others as a place of initiatory mysterious rites, will open again for the next four Saturdays and thus only for a limited number of people: the Masonic House in Galleria Umberto I, historical headquarters of the Grand Orient of Italy. An interesting initiative because the theme of this 2025 edition of the event is “Fire,” one of the symbols that recur in various philosophical and spiritual references as well as in Masonic rituals since its modern establishment in the early 1700s. Promoted and desired by the college of venerable masters of Campania and Lucania, the extraordinary openings of the spectacular esoteric residence (considered one of the most evocative in Europe) started last week and will continue on May 10, 17, 24, and 31. The guided and free tours are organized in three shifts (the first at 9:30, info is on this page) and will accommodate a maximum of 40 people per group. In addition to gaining better knowledge of a place of great historical significance like the Galleria “Umberto I,” the meetings will offer the opportunity to learn something about the history of Freemasonry in the South and in particular its intertwining with the history of Naples. This last aspect emerges from the trace left by some Freemasons whose names are engraved on the street signs of Neapolitan streets and squares. A Masonic toponymy that starts right from the Galleria (designed by a Mason) and spans all neighborhoods, from the Chiaia waterfront named after the heroic Admiral Caracciolo to the streets celebrating the grand masters Raimondo di Sangro Prince of Sansevero and Antonio de Curtis known as Totò. Not forgetting Giorgio Ascarelli (the first legendary president of Napoli football) and the many greats of literature, medicine, and free thought like Cirillo, Cotugno, Filangieri, Pagano, Goethe, Settembrini, Pascoli, Carducci, Foscolo, Amendola, Pascale, Martucci, Castellino, and Nobel laureates Enrico Fermi and Salvatore Quasimodo. Their “masonic” biographies have been gathered in a recent volume: “The 99 Masonic Ways of Naples - The City of ‘Brothers’” published by Sub Rosa editions, a book that exceptionally (normally it is only sold on Amazon) can also be found in the Masonic House for the upcoming appointments scheduled for the May of Monuments 2025. The guided tours, which last about 50 minutes, can be booked online using this link.