Mergellina

Coastal view of Mergellina

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Mergellina is a section of the city of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. It is at the west end of the seaside road, via Caracciolo, one mile away from the main port of Naples.

Overview

Historically, it was a small fishing village and port and was quite distinct from Naples, itself. Expansion of Naples to the west under the Spaniards in the 17th century and subsequent development under the Bourbons and then by the national Italian government between 1880 and 1915 gradually led to the incorporation of Mergellina into greater metropolitan Naples. Today it is still a fishing port but also an important secondary tourist harbor for hydrofoil traffic to the islands in the bay of Naples and to various tourist destinations along the Campanian coast. The port also serves as mooring for private pleasure craft.

Mergellina was home to the poet Jacopo Sannazaro, whose verses in Italian are part of the body of literature that helped form the Italian language in the Middle Ages. His Latin works, primarily De partu Virginis, though little read today, earned him the nickname of "the Christian Virgil". A main square, one block from the harbor, is named for him.

The port of Mergellina was during the 1960 Summer Olympics used as Olympic harbor for the Finn (Sea Garden) and Flying Dutchman (Posillipo) sailboats.

References

• The Organizing Committee of the Games of the XVII Olympiad (1960) (pdf). The Games of the XVII Olympiad Rome 1960, The Official Report of the Organizing Committee Volume One. http://la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1960/OR1960v1.pdf. 
• The Organizing Committee of the Games of the XVII Olympiad (1960) (pdf). The Games of the XVII Olympiad Rome 1960, The Official Report of the Organizing Committee Volume Two (a). http://la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1960/OR1960v2pt1.pdf. 
• The Organizing Committee of the Games of the XVII Olympiad (1960) (pdf). The Games of the XVII Olympiad Rome 1960, The Official Report of the Organizing Committee Volume Two (b). http://la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1960/OR1960v2pt2.pdf. 

Coordinates: 40°49′36.5″N 14°13′21.5″E / 40.826806°N 14.222639°E / 40.826806; 14.222639