Naples – Centro Storico

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The historic center of Naples, or Centro Storico, is a maze of narrow and busy streets surrounded by large buildings and crossed by a few major roads. The entire historic center of Naples is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it is administratively divided between various municipalities of the city. The area treated here as Centro Storico is the Second Municipality, which includes the neighborhoods of Avvocata, Mercato, Montecalvario, Pendino, Porto, and San Giuseppe. This area is dotted by several notable landmarks, such as many churches filled with artistic masterpieces, and numerous ancient palaces. Other parts of the historic center are all around this area, in San Lorenzo-East Naples, Chiaia-Posillipo-San Ferdinando, West Naples, and North Naples.

✪ Cappella Sansevero

The Cappella Sansevero is a chapel in the center of Naples filled with artistic masterpieces. Built starting in the late 16th century, it served as the funerary chapel of a local noble family, and in the 18th century it was embellished with elaborate Rococo decorations and Baroque artworks. The most notable masterpiece hosted here is the Veiled Christ (Cristo Velato), a marble sculpture created by Giuseppe Sanmartino and completed in 1753, often regarded as one of the greatest sculptures ever made. Other remarkable sculptures hosted here are the Modesty (Pudicizia) by Antonio Corradini and the Release from Deception (Disinganno) by Francesco Queirolo, also regarded as some of the best works of their time. The chapel features many other intricate statues and beautiful paintings, and also a large and elaborate ceiling fresco. Under the chapel are the Anatomical Machines (Macchine Anatomiche), two 18th-century anatomical models that reproduce the entire circulatory system.

✪ Basilica of San Domenico Maggiore

The Basilica of San Domenico Maggiore is a large Gothic church erected in the center of Naples between the 13th and 14th century. The church features a peculiar monumental facade, while the vast interior is richly adorned with Baroque decorations and artworks, and includes some frescoed chapels. Adjacent to the church is a monastic complex that includes a decorated sacristy. Here are housed several works of art, along with ancient dresses, objects used by Aragonese nobles, and some relics. One of the main squares of Naples, called Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, is in front of the basilica. The square is surrounded by historic buildings and features the Spire of San Domenico (Obelisco di San Domenico), an elaborate Baroque spire erected after the plague of 1656 and only completed in 1737.

✪ Monumental Complex of Santa Chiara

The Monumental Complex of Santa Chiara (Complesso Monumentale di Santa Chiara) is a religious complex in the center of Naples, and one of the main landmarks of the city. The complex includes the Gothic Basilica of Santa Chiara, erected in the 14th century and rebuilt in the 20th century after being almost destroyed during World War II. The church is beautifully decorated and features several notable artworks and elaborate funerary monuments. Adjacent to the basilica is a monastery featuring four cloisters, the most notable of which is the Majolica Cloister (Chiostro Maiolicato), adorned with colorful 18th-century majolica tiles. The arcades of this cloister are also decorated with frescoes. The complex also hosts the Museo dell’Opera di Santa Chiara, a museum dedicated to the history of the church, which houses numerous artworks and archaeological finds. Next to the complex is also a small archaeological area.

✪ Church of Gesù Nuovo

The Church of Gesù Nuovo is one of the largest churches in Naples, located in front of the Basilica of Santa Chiara. The building was originally a palace of the noble Sanseverino family, turned into a church starting in the late 16th century. The church still features the original facade of the palace, adorned with diamond-shaped stone blocks. The interior is adorned with Baroque decorations and houses several artistic masterpieces from the 17th and 18th century, including numerous frescoes, paintings, and sculptures. A chapel inside the church features the relics of 70 saints, housed in small reliquaries. The square in front of the church, Piazza del Gesù Nuovo, is adorned with the Spire of the Immaculate Virgin (Obelisco dell’Immacolata), an elaborate Baroque obelisk erected in the 18th century.

✪ Spaccanapoli

Spaccanapoli (“Naples splitter”) is the name given to a long and narrow street that cuts through the historic center of Naples. It was originally the southernmost of the three decumani of the Greco-Roman city, and it is mostly preserved to this day. The street features several historic buildings and attractions and takes various names. The official start is Piazza del Gesù Nuovo, and the first part is called Via Benedetto Croce, until it reaches Piazza San Domenico Maggiore. The stretch of the road next to the Church of Sant’Angelo a Nilo is known as Piazzetta Nilo, and the nearby Largo Corpo di Napoli houses the Nile God Statue (Statua del Dio Nilo) a Roman statue from the 2nd or 3rd century once venerated by the Egyptian community of Naples. The central part is Via San Biagio dei Librai, and then it continues after crossing Via Duomo, with Via Vicaria Vecchia and Via Forcella, ending with Via Giudecca Vecchia e Via Ottavio Tupputi. The intersection between Spaccanapoli and Via Duomo is adorned with a large mural dedicated to San Gennaro, made by local street artist Jorit.

✪ Pio Monte della Misericordia

Pio Monte della Misericordia is a historic church and palace located along Via dei Tribunali, near the Naples Cathedral. Built in the early 17th century, the church features an octagonal plan and houses several notable paintings from that time, most notably the Seven Works of Mercy (Sette Opere di Misericordia) by Caravaggio. The palace hosts a rich art gallery with numerous paintings mostly made by Neapolitan artists between the 16th and 19th century.

✪ Quartieri Spagnoli

The Quartieri Spagnoli (“Spanish Quarters”) is neighborhood of Naples located west of Via Toledo. Built in the 16th century to host the Spanish garrison of the city, it is now one of the most unique and characteristic areas of Naples. The entire neighborhood features densly packed buildings among a grid of narrow roads. This area also houses various landmarks, some of which are very peculiar. The most famous is arguably Largo Maradona, a small square adorned with pictures, murals, and other decorations dedicated to football player Diego Armando Maradona. At the northern end of the Quartieri Spagnoli is instead the area of Pignasecca, which hosts a popular street market.

✪ Gallerie d’Italia – Napoli

Gallerie d’Italia – Napoli is a rich art museum located along Via Toledo. Its collection includes several paintings dating between the 17th and 20th century, mostly by Italian artists. Among the masterpieces housed in this art gallery is The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula (Martirio di Sant’Orsola) by Caravaggio, thought to be his final work. The museum was previously hosted in the adjacent Palazzo Zevallos Stigliano, until it was moved to its current location in 2022.

✪ Fontanelle Cemetery

The Fontanelle Cemetery (Cimitero delle Fontanelle) is an ancient cemetery carved on the side of a hill in Naples. It was built after the plague epidemic of 1656 and was later expanded to house the remains of tens of thousands of people. For centuries this was also one of the main sites of the cult of the anime pezzentelle (“poor souls”), and people would take care of the bones and bring gifts to them. The cult was prohibited in 1969 by the Arcibishop of Naples, and the cemetery now serves as a museum.

Church of Sant’Angelo a Nilo

The Church of Sant’Angelo a Nilo is a church located near the Basilica of San Domenico Maggiore in the center of Naples. Originally erected as a chapel in the 14th century, it was rebuilt in Baroque style in the 18th century. The church houses the elaborate funerary monuments of various members of the noble Brancaccio family, most notably the Tomb of Cardinal Rainaldo Brancacci (Sepolcro del Cardinale Rainaldo Brancaccio), a masterpiece of Renaissance art made by Donatello and Michelozzo between 1426 and 1428.

Church of San Pietro a Majella

The Church of San Pietro a Majella is a historic church in Naples, located behind the Basilica of San Domenico Maggiore, along Via dei Tribunali. Erected during the Late Middle Ages in Gothic style, it was later reworked with Baroque additions. The interior of the church features several decorations and artworks, and some frescoed chapels. The adjacent monastery now hosts a music conservatory, which also includes a museum with ancient musical instruments and artworks, and a rich library.

Piazza Dante

Piazza Dante is one of the largest squares in Naples, located at the northern end of Via Toledo. The square is surrounded by historic buildings, such as the monumental complex of the Convitto Nazionale on the eastern side, adorned with a large arch topped by a clock tower. The northeastern corner instead features the 17th-century Port’Alba, a historic city gate. Three churches surround Piazza Dante: the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, the Church of San Domenico Soriano, and the Church of Santa Maria di Caravaggio, all adorned with Baroque decorations. The center of the square is adorned with a monument to Dante Alighieri, inaugurated in 1871. The Dante station of the Naples metro houses various works of contemporary art.

Via Toledo

Via Toledo is one of the main avenues in Naples, stretching for more than a kilometer between Piazza Dante and Piazza del Plebiscito. This busy road filled with shops and historic palaces is among the most visited and popular areas in the city. Along this road is the Toledo station of the Naples metro, which is richly decorated with mosaics and other artworks, and often regarded as one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world.

Church of Sant’Anna dei Lombardi

The Church of Sant’Anna dei Lombardi is a Renaissance church in the center of Naples, erected starting in the 15th century. The church is richly adorned with Baroque artworks and decorations and houses several beautiful chapels. Adjacent to the church, the Vasari Sacristy (Sacrestia del Vasari) hosts frescoes by Vasari, while outside the building is the Baroque Fountain of Monteoliveto (Fontana di Monteoliveto), built in the 17th century.

Church of Santa Maria la Nova

The Church of Santa Maria la Nova is a historic church in Naples, originally built in the 13th century and later reworked in Renaissance and Baroque style. The church is richly adorned with elaborate decorations and several artworks, including an intricate ceiling. Various adorned chapels and funerary monuments are also inside the church.

Basilica of San Giovanni Maggiore

The Basilica of San Giovanni Maggiore is a monumental church in the center of Naples. Originally erected as a Paleochristian basilica in the 4th century, it was reworked several times and then completely rebuilt in the 17th century, after the structure was damaged by an earthquake. The church was later restored again a few times after being hit by other earthquakes. The basilica houses various artworks and decorations, and small sections of the Paleochristian structure can still be seen. Next to the basilica is the Pappacoda Chapel (Cappella Pappacoda), a small Gothic church with an elaborate portal.

Centro Musei delle Scienze Naturali e Fisiche

The Centro Musei delle Scienze Naturali e Fisiche is the museum complex of the University of Naples Federico II. The complex includes the rich natural sciences collections of the Royal Mineralogical Museum (Real Museo Mineralogico), the Zoological Museum (Museo Zoologico), the Museum of Anthropology (Museo di Antropologia), the Museum of Physics (Museo di Fisica), and the Museum of Paleontology (Museo di Paleontologia). These museums include large collections of minerals, zoological and botanical specimens, archaeological finds, scientific instruments, and fossils. While the first floor are located in the complex surrounding the Basilica of Gesù Vecchio, the Museum of Paleontology is housed in the cloisters of the Church of Santi Marcellino e Festo.

Basilica of Gesù Vecchio

The Basilica of Gesù Vecchio is a 17th-century Baroque church in the historic center of Naples. The church is richly adorned with many lavish decorations and various artworks. Now the church is located among the buildings of the University of Naples Federico II.

Church of Santi Marcellino e Festo

The Church of Santi Marcellino e Festo is a Baroque church in Naples, erected between the 17th and 18th century. The church is lavishly adorned with rich frescoes, artworks, and other decorations. Next to the church is a monumental cloister with a garden.

Church of Santi Severino e Sossio

The Church of Santi Severino e Sossio is a Renaissance church in Naples, erected next to a medieval monastery. The church is richly adorned with elaborate Baroque frescoes and decorations, and includes various chapels filled with artworks. Adjacent to the church are three monumental cloisters, one of which is adorned with a series of 16th-century frescoes. The complex also hosts the State Archives of Naples (Archivio di Stato di Napoli), which houses a huge amount of historic documents.

Gaetano Filangieri Civic Museum

The Gaetano Filangieri Civic Museum (Museo Civico Gaetano Filangieri) is a museum hosted in the richly adorned halls of the Renaissance Palazzo Como in the center of Naples. The museum houses the collection assembled in the 19th century by Gaetano Filangieri, prince of Satriano, that includes several paintings, sculptures, coins, armors, and other works of applied arts. The museum also includes a rich library.

Piazza del Mercato

Piazza del Mercato is a large square in the center of Naples, that was used for centuries to host the local marketplace. This square is also infamous for being the place where public executions took place between 1268 and 1800, and it was here that the revolt of Masaniello began in 1647. The 18th-century Church of Santa Croce e Purgatorio al Mercato faces the square, while the Basilica of Santa Maria del Carmine Maggiore is located nearby.

Basilica of Santa Maria del Carmine Maggiore

The Basilica of Santa Maria del Carmine Maggiore is a large church in Naples, located next to Piazza del Mercato. Founded in the 13th century and later reworked, it was for centuries one of the main religious sites in the city and a center of local life. The church features a tall bell tower and a cloister, while the interior is richly adorned with lavish Baroque decorations, along with various artworks and frescoes.

Basilica of Santissima Annunziata Maggiore

The Basilica of Santissima Annunziata Maggiore is a large church in the center of Naples. Originally erected in the Late Middle Ages, it was later reworked in the 16th and 18th century. The basilica is now in Neoclassical style, and houses various decorations and a smaller underground church. The church is also known for the adjacent orphanage, equipped with a system in which abandoned infants could be placed in a revolving basket and left to the local nuns.

Porta Nolana

Porta Nolana is an ancient city gate located at the eastern end of the historic center of Naples. Erected in the 15th century, it features two large cylindrical towers, and it is partly surmounted by later buildings. This landmark is also known for the lively and crowded street market hosted in the square in front of it.