The Tavern
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The tavern was a necessary resting place and refuge for wayfarers. There are tales of evil innkeepers who poison or kill travellers in their sleep. According to a Neapolitan legend, three children were killed by an innkeeper on Christmas night and passed off as tuna fillets. However, St. Nicolas came to the tavern and blessed the three corpses, resuscitating the children.
In any case, the tavern represents a tragic place with complex meanings, linked to the dangerousness of the journey and the night. It also recalls the difficulties encountered by the Virgin Mary and Joseph in finding refuge while traveling, and indeed it is not by chance that the tavern is placed next to the grotto.