Sights of Naples
Chiesa San Domenico Maggiore
This Gothic church was completed in 1324 by the Dominican order and was much favoured by the Aragónese nobility. The church's interior, a cross between Baroque and 19th-century neo-Gothic, features some fine examples of Renaissance sculpture. In the sacristy are 45 coffins of the princes of Aragón and other nobles.
Duomo
This grand cathedral was built on the site of earlier churches, which were themselves preceded by a temple to the pre-Christian god Neptune. Construction of the cathedral kicked off in 1272 under Charles I of Anjou. Inside, above the wide central nave, is an ornately decorated coffered ceiling.
The building was largely destroyed in 1456 by an earthquake and has undergone numerous alterations. The neogothic facade is the result of cosmetic surgery in the late 19th century.
Central to Naples' religious (or superstitious) life is the 17th-century Baroque Cappella di San Gennaro, to the right and down the south aisle after you enter the building. Within the chapel, stowed behind the elaborately carved high altar, are the skull and a couple of phials of the congealed blood of San Gennaro, the city's patron saint. He was martyred at Pozzuoli, west of Naples, in AD 305 and tradition holds that these phials of his blood liquefied when his body was transferred back to Naples. Three times a year, thousands gather here to pray for a miracle - that the blood will again liquefy and save Naples from any potential disaster. The saint is said to have saved the city from calamity on numerous occasions - although the miracle failed to occur in 1941 when Vesuvius erupted.
Museo Archeologico Nazionale
These archaeological treasures form one of the most comprehensive collections of Greco-Roman artefacts in the world. The museum houses a rich collection of antiquities, including treasures that were discovered at Pompeii and Herculaneum. It also contains the Borgia collection of Etruscan and Egyptian relics.
Originally a cavalry barracks and later the seat of the city's university, the museum was established by Charles of Bourbon in the late 18th century to house the collection of antiquities he had inherited from his mother, Elizabeth Farnese.
On the mezzanine floor are mosaics, mostly from Pompeii, including the Battle of Alexander, the best-known depiction of the great Macedonian emperor. It once paved the floor in the Casa del Fauno at Pompeii and is just one of a series of remarkably detailed and lifelike pieces depicting animals, scenes from daily life, musicians and even Plato with his students.
The Gabinetto Segreto (Secret Room) recently opened to the public after decades of being accessible only to serious boffins. It displays a variety of erotic statues, including an intriguing one of Pan up to no good with a nanny goat and nine paintings depicting erotic positions, which served as a catalogue for brothel clients.
Palazzo Reale
Facing the grand Piazza del Plebiscito, this magnificent palace, built around 1600, was completely renovated in 1841 and suffered extensive damage during WWII. The statues of the eight most important kings of Naples were inserted into niches in the facade in 1888.
From the courtyard, a huge double staircase leads to the royal apartments, which house the Museo del Palazzo Reale, a rich collection of furnishings, porcelain, tapestries, statues and paintings.
The palace has also, since 1925, been home to the Biblioteca Nazionale, which includes the vast Farnese collection brought to Naples by Charles of Bourbon, with at least 2000 papyruses discovered at Herculaneum and fragments of a 5th-century Coptic Bible.
Chiesa di San Francesco di Paola, at the eastern end of Piazza del Plebiscito, was begun by Ferdinand I in 1817 to celebrate the restoration of his kingdom after the Napoleonic interlude. Flanked by semicircular colonnades, the church is based on the Pantheon and is a popular wedding spot.
Teatro San Carlo
Commissioned by King Charles of Bourbon, Europe's oldest working theatre was built in 1737. It wasn't long before its magnificent architecture and exquisite blue, gold and silver decor, complemented by a programme with wider public appeal, was attracting praise from both home and abroad. Completely destroyed by fire in 1816, Ferdinand I of Bourbon ordered the theatre to be rebuilt just six days later. As a result the acoustics, still regarded as perfect, were improved and the stage extended. The opera season begins in January.
This Gothic church was completed in 1324 by the Dominican order and was much favoured by the Aragónese nobility. The church's interior, a cross between Baroque and 19th-century neo-Gothic, features some fine examples of Renaissance sculpture. In the sacristy are 45 coffins of the princes of Aragón and other nobles.
Duomo
This grand cathedral was built on the site of earlier churches, which were themselves preceded by a temple to the pre-Christian god Neptune. Construction of the cathedral kicked off in 1272 under Charles I of Anjou. Inside, above the wide central nave, is an ornately decorated coffered ceiling.
The building was largely destroyed in 1456 by an earthquake and has undergone numerous alterations. The neogothic facade is the result of cosmetic surgery in the late 19th century.
Central to Naples' religious (or superstitious) life is the 17th-century Baroque Cappella di San Gennaro, to the right and down the south aisle after you enter the building. Within the chapel, stowed behind the elaborately carved high altar, are the skull and a couple of phials of the congealed blood of San Gennaro, the city's patron saint. He was martyred at Pozzuoli, west of Naples, in AD 305 and tradition holds that these phials of his blood liquefied when his body was transferred back to Naples. Three times a year, thousands gather here to pray for a miracle - that the blood will again liquefy and save Naples from any potential disaster. The saint is said to have saved the city from calamity on numerous occasions - although the miracle failed to occur in 1941 when Vesuvius erupted.
Museo Archeologico Nazionale
These archaeological treasures form one of the most comprehensive collections of Greco-Roman artefacts in the world. The museum houses a rich collection of antiquities, including treasures that were discovered at Pompeii and Herculaneum. It also contains the Borgia collection of Etruscan and Egyptian relics.
Originally a cavalry barracks and later the seat of the city's university, the museum was established by Charles of Bourbon in the late 18th century to house the collection of antiquities he had inherited from his mother, Elizabeth Farnese.
On the mezzanine floor are mosaics, mostly from Pompeii, including the Battle of Alexander, the best-known depiction of the great Macedonian emperor. It once paved the floor in the Casa del Fauno at Pompeii and is just one of a series of remarkably detailed and lifelike pieces depicting animals, scenes from daily life, musicians and even Plato with his students.
The Gabinetto Segreto (Secret Room) recently opened to the public after decades of being accessible only to serious boffins. It displays a variety of erotic statues, including an intriguing one of Pan up to no good with a nanny goat and nine paintings depicting erotic positions, which served as a catalogue for brothel clients.
Palazzo Reale
Facing the grand Piazza del Plebiscito, this magnificent palace, built around 1600, was completely renovated in 1841 and suffered extensive damage during WWII. The statues of the eight most important kings of Naples were inserted into niches in the facade in 1888.
From the courtyard, a huge double staircase leads to the royal apartments, which house the Museo del Palazzo Reale, a rich collection of furnishings, porcelain, tapestries, statues and paintings.
The palace has also, since 1925, been home to the Biblioteca Nazionale, which includes the vast Farnese collection brought to Naples by Charles of Bourbon, with at least 2000 papyruses discovered at Herculaneum and fragments of a 5th-century Coptic Bible.
Chiesa di San Francesco di Paola, at the eastern end of Piazza del Plebiscito, was begun by Ferdinand I in 1817 to celebrate the restoration of his kingdom after the Napoleonic interlude. Flanked by semicircular colonnades, the church is based on the Pantheon and is a popular wedding spot.
Teatro San Carlo
Commissioned by King Charles of Bourbon, Europe's oldest working theatre was built in 1737. It wasn't long before its magnificent architecture and exquisite blue, gold and silver decor, complemented by a programme with wider public appeal, was attracting praise from both home and abroad. Completely destroyed by fire in 1816, Ferdinand I of Bourbon ordered the theatre to be rebuilt just six days later. As a result the acoustics, still regarded as perfect, were improved and the stage extended. The opera season begins in January.