Basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità

The Basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità, located in the district of the same name in Naples, is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture, rich in history and art. Founded in the 17th century above the ancient catacombs of San Gaudioso, the church represents a symbol of popular devotion and religious fervor in the city. The religious complex was started in 1577 when a panel with the image of the Madonna, dating back to the 5th-6th century, was found. The church was built at the behest of Bishop Paolo Burali d’Arezzo and initially entrusted to the Dominican preaching friars. The church, designed by architect Giuseppe Nuvolo, features a central plan with a Greek cross inscribed in a square, an innovative solution for the time that reflects the architectural principles of the Counter-Reformation. The majestic dome, visible from afar, is covered with yellow and green majolica tiles, made by the workshop of Gaetano Massa in the 18th century. The facade is decorated with 18th-century stuccoes and flanked by a bell tower with a majolica clock. Inside, the basilica is a triumph of art and architecture. The central nave is surrounded by twenty-four columns supporting twelve cupolas, culminating in the large central dome. The raised presbytery, accessible via a monumental marble staircase, contains the main altar in polychrome marbles from the second half of the 18th century and the ciborium by the friar Azaria from 1628. Behind the altar is a sculpture of the Madonna and Child by Michelangelo Naccherino. The marble pulpit by Dionisio Lazzari, made in 1678, is another element of great artistic value, along with the 17th-century holy water fonts. The church floor is mainly in terracotta, with marble decorations and tombstones. The sacristy, reachable from the left nave, is decorated with monochromatic frescoes by Giovan Battista di Pino and houses ex-votos of San Vincenzo Ferrer. The side chapels of the church are rich in works of art. The first chapel on the left houses a painting by Agostino Beltrano, while the second chapel contains a canvas by Luca Giordano depicting the Mystical Marriage of Santa Rosa da Lima. The third chapel is dedicated to the Annunciation and decorated with works by Giovanni Bernardo Azzolino and Gaspare Traversi. The fourth chapel, in the left transept, is dominated by the Circumcision by Giovan Vincenzo da Forlì, flanked by paintings by Giovanni Balducci and Girolamo De Magistro. Among the other chapels, those dedicated to the Martyrs of Nagasaki stand out, with an anonymous 19th-century painting, and to Saint Thomas Aquinas, with a canvas by Pacecco De Rosa. The seventh chapel houses works by Luca Giordano and Francesco Solimena, while the eighth chapel houses an 18th-century wooden crucifix. The crypt of the basilica, one of the most fascinating parts of the complex, extends under the raised presbytery. Decorated with stuccoes by Arcangelo Guglielmelli and Cristoforo Schor, the crypt is accessible via a monumental staircase and contains frescoes by Bernardino Fera, stories of martyrs, and an 18th-century majolica floor with tomb slabs. The crypt directly connects to the catacombs of San Gaudioso, offering a suggestive journey into the early Christian history of Naples. The elliptical cloister, built at the end of the 16th century, is another gem of the complex. Despite the damage suffered during the 19th century due to the construction of the Sanità bridge, the cloister still retains its unique structure and the fresco decorations by Giovanni Battista di Pino.