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Italy
Campania
Province of Naples
Pozzuoli
Things to Do in Pozzuoli
Macellum (Temple of Serapis)

Macellum (Temple of Serapis), Pozzuoli

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Macellum (Temple of Serapis)

See all things to do
See all things to do
Macellum (Temple of Serapis)
4.5
412
#4 of 58 things to do in Pozzuoli
Ancient Ruins
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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About
Pozzuoli is billed in travel books as being a town filled with archaeological sites. When one arrives in Pozzuoli one is greeted with litter, bad signage, and several easy-to-find archaeological sites which are overgrown with weeds and covered in trash. I never made it to the top archilogical site (the Flavian Amphitheater) because of bad signage and general disgust with the city. The street address above marks roughly the center point of the city.
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4.5
412 reviews
Excellent
216
Very good
145
Average
37
Poor
8
Terrible
6
Bidule05
France366 contributions
Isabelle (France)
Aug 2020
We visited the “Serapis temple”, which was believed to be a temple dedicated to the Egyptian god Serapis, was in fact a public market!
The building has a large square central courtyard surrounded by a portico on which overlooked the stores .
Due to many bradyseisms responsible for permanent elevation and lowering of the ground from sea level, the site has been recurrently submerged by the sea, as shown by the encrustations of marine molluscs and the erosion of the columns!
Written May 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Art of Fact
6 contributions
A nice look at a piece of Roman municipal planning
Nov 2019
As an archaeologist, I visit many similar places, so I'm just writing on the things that strike me here, not trying to summarize the importance of the site. It struck me how well-preserved the plan of the structure is. This isn't a "given" in any archaeological site. I also took photos of two things especially: the evidence of marine creatures on the columns, a puzzle that helped lead to the understanding of Bradyseism, and the sage placement of public latrines at the corners. Modern architects and city planners should take a lesson from the sensible pragmatism on display here.
Written November 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
huntsman24ab
Portsmouth, UK10 contributions
Hidden right in the middle of town
Oct 2019 • Couples
After visiting the flavian amphitheatre we took a walk around the town of Pozzuoli, down towards the port area we came across the temple of Serapide. It's a shame you can't get down into the area but the view from above in the street is amazing. A pleasant surprise to add to our day trip here. A brief insight into another part of Italy's ancient history nestled in the centre of the town. Plenty of restaurants nearby if you wanted to stay and enjoy the area for a while.
Written October 18, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Angela.Ellis
Shrewsbury, UK150 contributions
Interesting site
Jul 2019 • Couples
Interesting site. Read up on it before you go.
You can't walk through the ruins but you can view whole site from above
Written July 31, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
JaneRB
Sotogrande, Spain239 contributions
Beautiful.
Jul 2019 • Friends
A beautiful site by the sea. Thought to be a temple but actually market place. At night it is alight in different colours. The only thing is you can not walk around, only seen from the railings.
Written July 27, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jeremyd141
London, UK12 contributions
Fascinating because of archaeological and geological significance
Sep 2018 • Couples
but you need a good guide book to explain why as there are no guides or signs on site as it just sits in the centre of town. However, if you have done your homework there is lots to see from many different standpoints
Written June 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Thoughtful100
Lincoln, UK230 contributions
Looks good but you can't get in
May 2019 • Couples
Easy to find and close to the harbour, you look down on this site and have a good view of it. It is certainly interesting and full of detail. It's a shame they don't let you walk through it. It is free to view. It only takes a few minutes to visit and absorb and is worth walking by.
Written June 2, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Charles M
Brighouse, UK22 contributions
Hidden gem
Apr 2018
The Macellum is in the middle of very busy Pozzuoli and could be easily missed. It is a very attractive and can be viewed from every angle from the surrounding streets. It is not possible to go into the Temple though. Parking nearby is very difficult but the railway station is just across the road.
Written March 22, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jeni O
Shepton Mallet, UK14 contributions
Shame you can't get in and have a closer look
Sep 2018
Fascinating-looking place, right near the ferry terminal: apparently not a temple at all but was in fact a Roman market complex. (2000 years later still somewhat more elegant than the present-day market a stone's throw away!)
The reason it is not publically accessible, presumably, is partly due to the fact that it often floods with sea water due to the lower ground level, which itself is because of the bradyseism (or 'old Gary Seismic' as we ended up calling it) operating in the area and messing with the ground levels over the centuries.
Worth a look in.
Written October 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Shanti S
17 contributions
A Marketplace, not a Temple. Neat but not a "Must- See"
Jul 2018 • Family
The best description of the place is in the Napoli Unplugged book, there is a small placard that I think is only in Italian on site. You can't access the actual ruins, and there's often water in them thanks to Bradyism. Nice place to look at before or after a meal on one of the squares or on a holiday when the bigger sites are closed.
Written September 12, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Macellum (Temple of Serapis) is open:
  • Sun - Sat 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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