Castel dell'Ovo ( "Egg Castle" ) is the most ancient castle of the city, located on the former island of Megaris, first landing of Greek colonists who founded Parthenope on the VII century BC.
In the 1st century BC, the castle began the abode of the Roman patrician Lucio Licino Lucullo, who loved its pleasantness.
In the VII century AC, a monastery was founded and it became an important cultural centre of the city. The Sala delle Colonne ("Hall of Columns") dates back to this period, probably it was the Refectory of The Monks, divided into four aisles by columns of the Lucullo's abode.
In the XII century, the Normans turned the island into a real fortress. Further interventions were realised by King Charles I of Anjou (second half of the XIII century) who got together the Archives and the Great Court.
During the Aragonese occupation, Alfonso of Aragon died there in 1458. In 1503 the castle was struck by French and Spanish clashes. Rebuilt to adapt to new defense techniques, it underwent further changes in the XVII and XVIII centuries.
The castle's name, dated from XIV century, probably refers to its egg-shaped structure. Moreover, according to legend, it comes from medieval time, when the Roman poet Virgilio, known as a great sorcerer, placed a magical egg inside a carafe and then hid the entire carafe inside an iron cage in a secret place of the castle. The entire fortune of the castle and the city depend on that egg.
In the monumental structure there are the Italian Institute of Catles and the Ethnoprehistoric Museum that picks up finds (from 700000 to 3000 years ago) from all over the world.