Macelo de Nápoles

The Macellum of Naples is the ancient market hall of the Roman city of Neapolis, which now lies beneath the church of San Lorenzo Maggiore. Originally built as a Greek agora in the fifth or fourth century B.C., it was converted into a marketplace after the Roman conquest. In the fifth century A.D., the building was buried by a surge of mud, probably caused by flooding, which helped preserve it. The rectangular complex had an entrance on the north side and consisted of a colonnaded area with workshops as well as a courtyard with mosaic floors. In the center of the courtyard stood a round tholos for the food committee, while small market stalls, a laundry, and the treasury can still be made out. Today, the Macellum is open to visitors as part of the monumental complex of San Lorenzo Maggiore.