Piscina Mirabilis, Bacoli, Campania, Italy

Today I visited for my first time the Piscina Mirabilis, one of the many locations where it’s still possible to get a glimpse over the old Roman times. Once entered the site, I remained speechless. A dark and murky huge space crisscrossed by shafts of sun rays. And silence all over. Pictures were already there, ready to be recorded. Roman archaelogical site, Piscina Mirabilis is located in Bacoli, in the north-west area of the Gulf of Naples and it is a grandiose Roman cistern, “mirabilis” means precisely “that inspires awe”, that was used to collect drinking water. Its architecture makes it one of the most fascinating and evocative places in the Phlegraean Fields. This is why it has been chosen as location by the director and actor John Turturro who decided to shoot here the scene of the washerwomen’s song included in his documentary film Passione. Piscina Mirabilis certainly it is the biggest Roman cistern ever known till now with a volumetric capacity of 12.600 m3 of water. This building of Augustan Age, situated up the hill facing the sea, was the terminal point of the aqueduct of Serino and had to provision the Classis Praetoria Misenensis. The cistern is architecturally spectacular, dug in the tuff for 70 metres of length, 25.50 of width and 15 of depth. For a price, the local authorities allow wedding ceremonies that must be unforgettable, both for the couple as well as the guests. I decided to turn all the photo in B&W since I see a better correspondence with the mood of this spot, a must to be visited.

Italy, Campania, Bacoli – The Piscina Mirabilis, “wondrous pool”, is an ancient Roman cistern on the Bacoli hill at the western end of the Gulf of Naples. It was one of the largest ancient cisterns. It was built under Augustus as suggested by the building technique of opus reticulatum used in the walls.

Italy, Campania, Bacoli – The Piscina Mirabilis, “wondrous pool”, is an ancient Roman cistern on the Bacoli hill at the western end of the Gulf of Naples. It was one of the largest ancient cisterns. It was built under Augustus as suggested by the building technique of opus reticulatum used in the walls.

Italy, Campania, Bacoli – The Piscina Mirabilis, “wondrous pool”, is an ancient Roman cistern on the Bacoli hill at the western end of the Gulf of Naples. It was one of the largest ancient cisterns. It was built under Augustus as suggested by the building technique of opus reticulatum used in the walls.

Italy, Campania, Bacoli – The Piscina Mirabilis, “wondrous pool”, is an ancient Roman cistern on the Bacoli hill at the western end of the Gulf of Naples. It was one of the largest ancient cisterns. It was built under Augustus as suggested by the building technique of opus reticulatum used in the walls.

Italy, Campania, Bacoli – The Piscina Mirabilis (Latin “wondrous pool”) is an ancient Roman cistern on the Bacoli hill at the western end of the Gulf of Naples. It was one of the largest ancient cisterns. It was built under Augustus as suggested by the building technique of opus reticulatum used in the walls.

Italy, Campania, Bacoli – The Piscina Mirabilis, “wondrous pool”, is an ancient Roman cistern on the Bacoli hill at the western end of the Gulf of Naples. It was one of the largest ancient cisterns. It was built under Augustus as suggested by the building technique of opus reticulatum used in the walls.

Italy, Campania, Bacoli – The Piscina Mirabilis, “wondrous pool”, is an ancient Roman cistern on the Bacoli hill at the western end of the Gulf of Naples. It was one of the largest ancient cisterns. It was built under Augustus as suggested by the building technique of opus reticulatum used in the walls.

Italy, Campania, Bacoli – The Piscina Mirabilis, “wondrous pool”, is an ancient Roman cistern on the Bacoli hill at the western end of the Gulf of Naples. It was one of the largest ancient cisterns. It was built under Augustus as suggested by the building technique of opus reticulatum used in the walls.

Italy, Campania, Bacoli – The Piscina Mirabilis, “wondrous pool”, is an ancient Roman cistern on the Bacoli hill at the western end of the Gulf of Naples. It was one of the largest ancient cisterns. It was built under Augustus as suggested by the building technique of opus reticulatum used in the walls.

Italy, Campania, Bacoli – The Piscina Mirabilis, “wondrous pool”, is an ancient Roman cistern on the Bacoli hill at the western end of the Gulf of Naples. It was one of the largest ancient cisterns. It was built under Augustus as suggested by the building technique of opus reticulatum used in the walls.