San Francesco di Paola, Naples, Italy

San Francesco di Paola church is located at the west side of Piazza del Plebiscito, the city's main square. In the early 19th century, King Joachim Murat of Naples (Napoleon's brother-in-law) planned the entire square and the large building with the colonnades as a tribute to the emperor. When Napoleon was finally dispatched, the Bourbons were restored to the throne of Naples. Ferdinand I continued the construction - finished in 1816 - but converted the final product into the church one sees today. He dedicated it to Saint Francis of Paola, who had stayed in a monastery on this site in the 16th century.

The church is reminiscent of the Pantheon in Rome. The façade is fronted by a portico resting on six columns and two Ionic pillars. Inside, the church is circular with two side chapels. The dome is 53 metres high.

The interior has a number of statues: a San Giovanni Crisostomo by Gennaro Calì, Sant'Ambrogio by Tito Angelini, St Luke by Antonio Calì, a St Matthew by Carlo Finelli, a St John Evangelist by Pietro Tenerani, St Mark by Giuseppe de Fabris, a Sant'Agostino by Tommaso Arnaud, and a Sant'Attanasio by Angelo Solani.

In the chapels on the right, there are the following altarpieces: San Nicola da Tolentino and St Francis of Paola receives a stem of charity from an Angel, by Nicola Carta, Final Communion of San Ferdinando di Castiglia by Pietro Benvenuti, a Transit di St Joseph by Camillo Gerra, the Immaculate Conception and the death of Sant'Andrea Avellino by Tommaso de Vivo.

Before the main altar, is a 1641 work by Anselmo Cangiano, transferred here in 1835, from the church of the Santi Apostoli. In the apse is a painting of St Francis of Paola resuscitates a dead man by Vincenzo Camuccini. In the sacristy is an Immaculate Conception by Gaspare Landi and a Circumcision of Jesus by Antonio Campi.

References:

Wikipedia

Religious sites in Italy

User Reviews

Richard T.Whybrow (3 years ago)
Beautiful neoclassical period Basilica. You can see statues including San Francesco di Paola (Owner of the church) on the left. Free to enter and you are immediately impressed by the huge open dome. Notices are requesting visitors pay respect by maintaining silence. Work began in 1809 as Gioacchino Murat who ordered demolish of the old convents. In 1817 Building began and entrusted the work to Swiss architect Pietro Bianchi. Work was completed in 1824. Inaugurated by Pope Gregory XVI, conferring to degree of Basilica. Information is freely provided by the priests who only speak Italian.

John Carey (3 years ago)
Beautiful building.

Marta Pinhão (3 years ago)
Located in Piazza del Plebiscito in front of the Royal Palace construction started in 1816 the facade was finished in 1824, the interior decorations in 1836, the church was completed in 1846. Opening hours 06.30am-18pm/06.30am-20pm Masses Weekdays 07am/09am/11am/17pm Weekends 07am/8.30am/10am/11.30am/18pm

Furkan ÇAPRAZ (3 years ago)
An impressive building, must to see.

Rebecca & Kenneth Brandl (4 years ago)
Beautiful architecture with a lovely plaza in front of it. Children playing soccer in the plaza is very enjoyable to watch as some of them are quite good.

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