The Umberto I Gallery  is a shopping arcade built in Naples between 1887 and 1890.
The area on which stands the gallery was already heavily urbanized in the sixteenth century and was characterized by a tangle of streets linked by short parallel streets,that from Via Toledo ends in front of Castel Nuovo.
These alleys enjoyed a bad reputation as there were taverns, houses of ill repute and there were consumed crimes of all kinds. The reputation of that area grew up over the centuries and remained for most of the nineteenth century.

In the eighties of the nineteenth century, the degradation touched extremes: in the streets rose six-storwy buildings, the level of hygiene was poor and it is no wonder that between 1835 and 1884 in this area had taken place nine outbreaks of cholera. Under the pressure of public opinion, after the outbreak in 1884 it began to consider a government intervention.

In 1885  was approved the law for the reorganization of the city of Naples (that time was precisely that consolidation), which enables the area of "Santa Brigida" to receive a new territorial definition. There were a number of proposals, the project was awarded by the  engineer Emmanuele Rocco, who was later extended by Ernesto di Mauro. This project involved a gallery with four arms that intersected in a cruise covered by an octagonal cupola. The demolition of existing buildings began May 1, 1887 and the 5th November of that year was laid the foundation stone of the building. Within three years, namely 19 November 1890, the new gallery was opened.

The main entrance, which opens onto via San Carlo, consists of a semicircular façade, below, presents a portico   architrave governed by pillars of travertine and two blind arches; one gives access to the gallery, the other opened  on ambulatory. They follow an order of serliana windows, separated by pairs of pilasters from the composite capital, and a second floor with double lancet windows and pilasters similar to previous ones. The penthouse has pairs of square windows and pilasters of the Tuscan capital, the latter windows are slotted.

The arc of right shows, on the columns, from left towards right, the Winter, the Spring, the Summer and the Fall, traditional subjects that represent carrying out itself of the time to which the human activities, the Job and the Genius of science are tied. On the pediment we find Commerce and the Industry half lying down on the sides of the Wealth, myths of the bourgeois society.

The arc of left shows, on the columns, the four continents Europe, Asia, Africa and the America. In the niches instead they are represented, on the left, the Physical and, to right, Chemistry. On the pediment, lain down, the Telegraph on the right, and the Steam, on the left that they place side by side the figure of the Abundance. IT presents a positive image of science and the progress ables to unify the various parts of the world. In the ceiling of the arcade there are a round series of with divinity classic . The deities represented  are Diana, Crono, Venus, Jupiter, Mercurio and Giunone.

The minor facades have a similar structure but have only decorations in stucco. The facade on Via Toledo has, on the sides of the entrance, two pairs of putti with shields in which are represented the emblems of the two polling stations in Naples: the horse slowed down to Capuana on the right, and a port for Portanova on the left. The facade on Via Santa Brigida shows,on the shields governed by putti, the emblems of the seats in Porto, with the marine man on the , and of Mountain  on the right. On the sides of the arch there are two panels that alluse to war and peace. The facade of Via Verdi, has in the shield, the emblems of the seat of Nilo, a wild horse on the left, and the People, with P in uppercase on the right. The sides of the two panels are alluding to the abundance and richness of the earth characterized by the cultivation and operation of the navigation.

The interior of the tunnel consists of two roads that intersect at right angles, covered by an iron frame and glass. They are Delimited by some buildings, four of which have central access from the central octagon. Their facades reflect the main one, in fact, the lower order is divided by large smooth pilasters, painted faux marble that frame the entrances of shops and mezzanine above it. Here are the foreground serliane, in accordance with the mullioned windows, the square windows in the attic.

The vault, made of glass and iron, designed by Paul Boubée, manages to blend in perfectly with the brick structure, which contributes to the close relationship between the structures of masonry and the ironwork. In the eight spandrels of the dome eight female figures supporting copper chandeliers, no longer exist. The large fans placed in the heads of complex scenes bear arms in plaster, all related to music.

In the floor under the dome are mosaics with winds and signs of the zodiac signed by the company Padoan in Venice, which they created in 1952 to replace the original damaged by trampling and war. The bombing resulted in the destruction of all the glass covers. At the entrances busts and memorial commemorate disappeared and those who participated in the project execution.

In the arm to Via Verdi is an inscription that recalls that in 1787 the inn Moricon had hosted Goethe. Instead, entering from the side of the Teatro San Carlo we find the plaque to Paul Boubée. In the area below the gallery there is another cruise, smaller, with a central theater of the Belle Epoque, the Salone Margherita.