In Naples, going down to the subway doesn't just mean moving from one point to another in the city: it means living a unique aesthetic and cultural experience. The Art Stations, designed by great names in architecture and contemporary art, are now a full-fledged tourist attraction. The latest addition to the circuit is the Monte Sant'Angelo stop on Line 7, inaugurated on September 11th, which bears the signature of the renowned artist Anish Kapoor along with the London-based studio AL_A by Amanda Levete.
"The Mouth": a symbolic gateway to the unknown
The stop, baptized as "The Mouth, " is much more than an entrance to the subway. It is a true public artwork, inspired by Dante's poetry and the myth of the entrance to Hell. Made of corten steel and smooth aluminum, it resembles the shape of a soft and sensual body, inviting the traveler to cross an imaginary threshold between the visible city and the one hidden underground. Kapoor himself explained:
"In the city of Vesuvius and Dante's mythical entrance to Hell, I felt it was important to address the real meaning of going underground. A descending escalator seemed perfect to me, like an upside-down tunnel."
A twenty-year project
The idea for the stop dates back to 2002. Construction began in 2008 but was interrupted due to bureaucratic issues, then resumed in 2016 and was completed in 2017. Only now, however, Monte Sant'Angelo finally opens to citizens and tourists, further enriching the panorama of Neapolitan art stations, already well-known worldwide.
The art stations: a unique heritage
Naples boasts around 200 works by over 90 international artists, distributed along its subway lines. Among the most famous is the Toledo station, often described as the most beautiful in Europe, with its blue light effects that recall the sea. Now Monte Sant'Angelo also joins this circuit that combines mobility, innovation, and culture.
