Satellite Image of Pausilypon Archaeological Site and the Seiano Grotto Near Naples, Italy
GeoEye-1 (0.5m) Satellite Image Pausilypon Archeological Site and the Seiano Grotto, Naples Italy
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(Copyright © GeoEye and Courtesy of Satellite Imaging Corporation)
This half-meter resolution image shows the Pausilypon Archeological Site and the Seiano Grotto, located approximately 13 km (8.1 miles) west of Naples, Italy. These archaeological ruins include a remarkable amphitheater with 13 rows of seats in the top auditorium, six rows in the middle and an overall seating capacity of two thousand. The entire site has been permanently reopened to the public thanks to the recovery work being done by the Archaeological Sovrintendenza of Naples and Caserta and the contribution of the Commune of Naples. The GeoEye-1 satellite collected the image on April 9, 2012 while flying an average speed of 17,000 mph (four miles per second).
About Pausilypon Archeological Site and the Seiano Grotto
This ancient passageway, which was dug out about two thousand years ago and reinforced in the Bourbon period, snakes through the fascinating half-light of the tunnel and then is struck towards the end by the blinding light from side underground passages on the steep coves, which offer a breathtaking view.
Beyond the cavern, we take a path lined with typical Mediterranean vegetation and come to the area of the villa to which Vedio Pollione, a wealthy Roman knight to Ottaviano Agusto, gave a name of Greek derivation, “Pausylipon”, or “place which stops all the cares” in order to describe the spell and the beauty of this place called Posillipo.
The villa is adaptable to different circumstances, and was enlarged to satisfy the needs of an imperial residence whose full extent will be discovered only when the Archeological Sovrintendenza will complete the work with the final aim of opening this archeological site of Pausylipon to the public.
There are remarkable archaeological remains in this area – a theatre of splendid structure with 13 rows of seats in the top auditorium and 6 in the middle one, an overall seating capacity of two thousand which exploited the natural slope of the hill, in accordance with the typical technique of Greek amphitheaters. On the opposite side are the remains of the Odeion, the ancient roofed theater used for recitals of rhetorical poetry and musical performances, which has a small “cavea” or auditorium positioned in front of the large Theater.For more information, visit here.
