Church of the New Jesus

The Church of Gesù Nuovo, located in the square of the same name in the heart of Naples, is one of the most fascinating examples of Baroque religious architecture in the city. Originally a Renaissance palace of the Sanseverino family, the building was transformed into a church in 1584 by the Jesuits, maintaining the characteristic rusticated façade, unique in its kind. The palace was built in 1470 by Novello da San Lucano for Prince Roberto Sanseverino. The original façade, with its diamond-shaped rustication, features mysterious symbols that, according to legend, were meant to channel positive energies. With the confiscation of the Sanseverino family’s assets in 1552, the palace passed to the Jesuits who converted it into a church, keeping the façade intact. The church was designed by Giuseppe Valeriano and Pietro Provedi, who renovated the interior in Baroque style, replacing the sumptuous halls of the palace with a Greek cross structure with a central dome. Construction began in 1584 and was completed in 1601, with the consecration of the church dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. The interior of the Church of Gesù Nuovo is a riot of polychrome marbles, frescoes, and golden stuccoes. The central nave and the ten side chapels are enriched with works of art by some of the most important artists of Neapolitan Baroque. Among these, the masterpiece of Giovanni Lanfranco stands out, who frescoed the dome with a representation of Paradise in 1635. Unfortunately, the original fresco was destroyed by an earthquake in 1688 and replaced by a new decoration by Paolo De Matteis. The side chapels are a veritable museum of Baroque art. The chapel of San Francesco Saverio, designed by Cosimo Fanzago, is decorated with precious marbles and houses a statue of the saint made by Fanzago himself. The chapel of San Ignazio di Loyola is adorned with a polychrome marble altar and paintings illustrating the life of the saint, founder of the Society of Jesus. The chapel of the Visitation houses the urn with the body of San Giuseppe Moscati, a Neapolitan doctor and saint canonized in 1987. An interesting anecdote concerns the earthquake of 1688 that destroyed the original dome. The reconstruction was entrusted to Arcangelo Guglielmelli, who designed a new, more resistant dome. However, in 1774, a further collapse forced its replacement with a false dome painted by Ignazio di Nardo, still visible today. The entrance portal, enriched with Baroque decorations in 1695, features two columns of red granite and a broken pediment with the emblem of the Society of Jesus, supported by two marble angels. This contrast between the sober Renaissance façade and the rich Baroque decoration of the portal makes the church a unique example of stylistic fusion. The Church of Gesù Nuovo has had a tumultuous history, reflecting the political and social events of Naples. During the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1767, the church was entrusted to the Franciscans, who renamed it Trinità Maggiore. The Jesuits returned in 1821, but were expelled again in 1848 and 1860, until they were able to return definitively in 1900. During World War II, the church suffered serious damage due to bombings. A particular anecdote tells of a bomb that fell on the ceiling of the central nave without exploding, considered by many to be a miracle. The bomb is now displayed in the church, next to the right nave.