The Legend of the Blindfolded Walk
Listen to the audio about this legend and put the sentences in order.
It is a classic Neapolitan challenge! If you visit the square, you will often see people laughing as they try—and fail—to complete this "impossible" walk.
The Legend of the Blindfolded Walk
The legend dates back to the era of Queen Margherita of Savoy (though some versions say it was a Bourbon queen).
The story goes that once a month, the Queen would offer a royal pardon to any prisoner who could complete a simple task: they had to start at the entrance of the Royal Palace, be blindfolded, and walk in a straight line across the square to pass exactly between the two bronze equestrian statues of the kings.
It sounds easy—the square is wide and the statues are massive. However, no prisoner ever succeeded.
Why is it so hard?
- Even today, tourists and locals try it for fun. If you want to try it yourself, here is how it works:
- Stand with your back against the main door of the Royal Palace.
- Close your eyes (or wear a blindfold).
- Try to walk roughly 100 meters to pass between the two horses.
- The Result: Almost everyone ends up drifting far to the left or right,
- often hitting the columns of the church or walking in a complete circle.
- The Secret: The square’s pavement (the sampietrini stones) is slightly sloping and uneven.
- Without your eyesight to correct your balance, your natural gait and
- the subtle incline of the ground pull you off course.
- Local legend, however, prefers a more romantic explanation:
- it's said that a curse was placed on the square to prevent
- anyone from ever winning their freedom!