Santa Maria Capua Vetere is a medieval town in the province of Caserta. In prehistoric times these lands were located several settlements related to the culture of Villanova, which were later expanded by the Etruscans. In the 4th century BC, Capua was the largest town in the Apennine Peninsula after Rome. However it was expected the fate of many other Italian cities – it was destroyed by vandals, conquered by the Lombards, then, in the 9th century, and again destroyed by the Saracens. Surviving residents of the city fled and founded the modern Capua on the site of the ancient river port in Casilinum.

The city, known today as Santa Maria Capua Vetere, slowly formed around the ancient Christian basilicas of Santa Maria Maggiore, San Pietro in Corporate and Sant Erasmus in Capitolo. It is next to these religious buildings had small settlements, later United in the commune. Until 1861, the year it was called Santa Maria Maggiore – even here was located the summer residence of king Robert of Anjou.

Today the main attraction of Santa Maria Capua Vetere is the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, founded, according to legend, in the 5th century by Pope Simoom. Once the Church had only one nave, however, in 787, the year it was expanded by order of the Lombard ruler Arakis II of Benevento. And in 1666, the year it was built, two side altars. The current Baroque style Basilica received in 1742-1788-m years.

Among other monuments of history and architecture of Santa Maria Capua Vetere, it should be called the Roman amphitheatre in Campania, its shape reminiscent of the Colosseum, the archaeological Museum Antica Capua, the Museum of the gladiators and the Garibaldi Museum, Hadrian Arch and perfectly preserved Mitreum, discovered in 1922, the year - on one of its walls you can see the fresco of the 2nd century BC depicting the goddess Mithra.