In the new maritime terminal, the remains of the ancient pier

Inside the terminal, next to the waiting room seating, enhanced by artistic lighting, are the remains of much older stone structures, expertly restored and incorporated into the modern building. This is the pier designed during the Bourbon era, of which all trace had been lost, having been completely covered by the construction of the old maritime terminal.

It was during its dismantling for the construction of the new terminal that the pre-existing dock, approximately fifty meters long, was uncovered. This mid-nineteenth-century pier had already been expanded after the unification of Italy, likely to accommodate the increase in commercial maritime traffic. This part of the port of Naples, at the foot of the Maschio Angioino, was reserved for this purpose, and was then significantly set back from the current landing stage.

The advancement of the current port infrastructure was achieved later, in the early 20th century, with a landfill that reclaimed space from the sea, which previously reached the site of the new terminal. According to archaeologists' reconstructions, it is likely that in front of the pier recently discovered beneath the castle, a small sandy beach extended with a view of the unmistakable panorama of Vesuvius.

Near the re-emerged Roman port, visible in the adjacent metro station, are five merchant ships dating to the period between the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries AD. These were discovered in Piazza Municipio during construction of Metro Line 1, 13 meters below current street level and 3.5 meters below sea level.

The Name Beverello Rediscovered

Among the springs within the ancient city, there was one near the sea, which for a stretch flowed beneath the Maschio Angioino Castle and was known by the name "Bibirellum," which over time also came to identify the location. This water was known for its distinctive metallic flavor and considered curative, so much so that it was widely used by the population, who drank it from several fountains, one of which was located right near the castle. Renowned even beyond the city limits, during the viceroyalty period, large quantities were loaded onto ships that exported it weekly to Spain.

As late as the 20th century, the sulfurous water of Beverello was sold at the kiosks of the acquafrescai in small two-handled clay amphorae, known as "mummare," famous throughout Naples.

The city fountains remained active until 1973, when, due to the cholera epidemic, they were all decommissioned, and soon the sulfurous, "zuffregna" waters of the Beverello River were only a memory. This became real again when, during the excavation of the foundations of the maritime station, the underground river was uncovered, later covered over again, and continues to flow in its natural bed near the sea.