Splendors of Magna Graecia

New lift connects oldest basilica in Naples to wonders of ancient Rome.

Magna Graecia, or in Ancient Greek, Μεγάλη Ἑλλάς, Megálē Hellás, was the name given by ancient Romans to the coastal areas of Southern Italy, including Naples in the southern Campania region.^[1] Naples is where the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore alla Pietrasanta was built in 533 A.D. by Bishop Pomponio and rebuilt in the 17th century following earthquake damage. Distinguished by an 18th century majolica floor, the basilica sits above a submerged ancient Roman road, cisterns and an aqueduct, which has now been transformed into the Water Museum. For a little over a year, a Schindler lift has connected the church to the “splendors of the Magna Graecia” approximately 35 m below, Schindler said on LinkedIn. “Under what is, in effect, the oldest basilica in Naples, are the ruins of the ancient Greek city Neopolis and its Temple of Diana,” the OEM observed. In addition to the elevator system and its metal frame, Schindler also created a connecting walkway in a self-supporting galvanized structure. Providing accessibility to visitors since summer 2021, the lift system offers “a suggestive journey into the underground cavities.” The job was challenging, according to Schindler, which said:

“The design and installation of the Pietrasanta lift were complex due to the particularity of the context. Suffice it to say that the system was ‘inserted’ inside a preexisting and ancient tuff (volcanic ash) cavity, which was not affected in any way during the works, despite the fact that the space between the [components and the cavity wall] was only millimeters. Furthermore, defining the exact position [of the elevator] to be exactly in line with the connecting walkway 20 m higher was not an easy task, [nor was] transporting the metal structures and heavy components through a winding passage 7 m below street level.”

Reference

[1] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magna_Graecia