Its construction, decided upon after the severe cholera epidemic of 1884, was part of the general urban renewal program for the area, which was too densely populated and unhealthy.
The Gallery features a splendid transparent iron-frame roof, with a 57-and-a-half-meter-high dome set on a 36-meter octagon. Also of note is the beautiful floor, in polychrome marble. The Gallery leads to the famous Teatro Margherita, a circular room covered by an umbrella vault with decorations, in the 'belle époque' style , unique. Famous in the past as a gathering place for artists and intellectuals, the Gallery is still one of the most popular sites in the city.
