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Ancient Oil Cistern — Napoli
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Historical Sites 📍 Napoli, Italy 184 views

Ancient Oil Cistern

In the basement of the store De Luca at number 5a of Via Cistrna dell'olio, you can visit (only with permission of the owner) one of the five huge cistrne used in the eighteenth century to store the olive oil produced in the Kingdom of Naples. Built in refractory bricks, the cist...

Photo · Ria A.

Ancient Oil Cistern — Napoli, Italy.

Location
Napoli
Type
Historical Sites
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About Ancient Oil Cistern

Ancient Oil Cistern - Napoli | Secret World Trip Planner

In the basement of the store De Luca at number 5a of Via Cistrna dell'olio, you can visit (only with permission of the owner) one of the five huge cistrne used in the eighteenth century to store the olive oil produced in the Kingdom of Naples. Built in refractory bricks, the cistern, contrary to what is often believed, was used for edible oil and not for oil for lighting, since oil lamps began to appear in the city only half a century later. Since 1778 in the Kingdom of Naples there was in fact a very active stock exchange of agricultural products.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Ancient Oil Cistern is located in the basement of the De Luca store at number 5a Via Cistrna dell'olio in Naples. You can only visit it with the permission of the store owner, so be sure to ask politely when you arrive and respect their business hours.
Contrary to popular belief, the cistern was used to store edible olive oil produced in the Kingdom of Naples, not oil for lighting purposes. Oil lamps didn't appear in the city until about fifty years after the cistern was built.
This is one of five huge cisterns that were used in the eighteenth century to store olive oil from the Kingdom of Naples. Today, this one at De Luca remains accessible to visitors, making it a rare surviving example of Naples' agricultural heritage.
The cistern was constructed using refractory bricks, which were ideal for storing and protecting the olive oil. This durable material has allowed the structure to survive intact for over two centuries.
Since 1778, the Kingdom of Naples had a very active stock exchange for agricultural products, and these massive cisterns played a crucial role in that trade. The cistern at De Luca is a tangible reminder of Naples' important role in the Mediterranean agricultural economy during this period.

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