Palazzo Diomede Carafa

On your right is the entrance to Palazzo Diomede Carafa, a Renaissance building that once housed an Italian cardinal. In the 19th century, a wealthy lawyer converted it into a museum. The real gem, however, lies in the inner courtyard. If you step inside and head to the far end, you’ll see a horse’s head sculpture that’s three times larger than life. The original is kept at the National Archaeological Museum, and there’s also a copy at the Muséo metro station. You're probably wondering why we're showing you this. Well, for one thing, it's a famous statue in Naples, and for another, it's linked to an old legend. Legend has it that Cardinal Sisto’s Square was once home to a large bronze horse statue. Locals believed it had magical powers, protecting animals from disease and boosting male fertility. The statue likely dated back to ancient Greece, possibly from a Temple to Neptune, but legend ties it to the poet Virgil, thought by Neapolitans to be a magician. When the Catholic Angevin dynasty arrived in 1322, such beliefs and pagan rituals were suppressed. The bronze statue was said to have been melted down to make the bells of the Naples Cathedral, leaving only the horse’s head, like the one you see here. The most likely theory is that this horse’s head was an unfinished piece by the Florentine sculptor Donatello, commissioned by King Alfonso I for a triumphal arch at Castel Nuovo. There’s indeed an arch nearby, left undecorated, and it’s just the right size. The sculptor's death would explain why only the head remains. The latter was eventually gifted to the Carafa family, one of Naples’ most powerful noble houses.