The lyrics for Funiculi funicula were written in 1880 by Peppino Turco, a journalist. The melody was composed by Luigi Denza.

The funicular was a chain driven train, similar to the streetcars of San Francisco. The song was commissioned as a jingle to help convince people to use the new funicular to travel to Mt. Vesuvius. Denza and Turco completed the song in just a few hours.

Although the funicular no longer exists, the song remains as popular as ever.