Naples Cathedral

Naples, Italy

The present Naples cathedral was commissioned by King Charles I of Anjou. Construction continued during the reign of his successor, Charles II (1285-1309) and was completed in the early 14th century under Robert of Anjou. It was built on the foundations of two palaeo-Christian basilicas, whose traces can still be clearly seen. Underneath the building excavations have revealed Greek and Roman artifacts. The Archbishop's Palace adjoins the cathedral.

The main attraction of the interior is the Royal Chapel of the Treasure of San Gennaro, with frescoes by Domenichino and Giovanni Lanfranco, altarpieces by Domenichino, Massimo Stanzione and Jusepe Ribera, the rich high altar by Francesco Solimena, the bronze railing by Cosimo Fanzago and other artworks, including a reliquary by 14th-century French masters.

Other artworks include an Assumption by Pietro Perugino, canvasses by Luca Giordano and the palaeo-Christian baptistery, with mosaics from the 4th century. The main chapel is a restoration of the 18th century, with a Baroque relief by Pietro Bracci. The Minutolo Chapel, mentioned in Boccaccio's Decameron, has 14th-century frescoes.

The crypt is by the Lombard Tommaso Malvito. The façade was reworked by Enrico Alvino in the late 19th century, but retains the 15th century portal, including some sculptures by Tino da Camaino.

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Address

Via Duomo 147, Naples, Italy
See all sites in Naples

Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Religious sites in Italy

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Gary Insley (2 months ago)
Stunning and well worth the effort whilst in Napoli. There are some outstanding works of Christian art that are too good to miss.
Arosha Weerakkody (2 months ago)
This is truly a sanctuary....having dodgeballed Napoli's poop infested streets, we took shelter in this cathedral for quite some time..absolutely beautiful. Highly recommended.
Ghazal (3 months ago)
Very nice Cathedral in Napoli. We accidentally came across this place when we were trying to find a place to escape from the heat. You can enter for free. The alter was really beautiful and the dome was really nicely painted. I would recommend paying a visit if you are in Napoli.
Ashish Deepak (4 months ago)
The cathedral is located in a street close to Market Street. You will be treated to some wonderful frescoes, beautiful interiors and chapels. Chapel of San Gennaro is one of the attractions inside the cathedral. The church houses a vial of the blood of Saint Januarius, which is brought out three times a year, on the first Saturday in May, on 19 September and 16 December, when the dried blood usually liquefies
Rene Tijs (7 months ago)
Very nice cathedral to visit. Beautiful wall paintings and a very nice ceiling! Most beautiful part was the dome, it holds 2 layers and you can look outside. Don't forget to go in the crypt, nice to see. Only downside are the rovers outside the cathedral, not really friendly to watch.....
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