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Naples
Santa Chiara
This church, one of the most important mediaeval
monuments in Naples, was built in 1310-28, probably by
Gagliardo Primario, and was transformed in the 18th
century by the addition of some lavish Baroque
decoration by D.A. Vaccaro and then Giovanni Del Gaizo.
After the bombings in 1943, it was rebuilt to restore
its original 14th-century country garden by D.A.
Vaccaro, who covered the garden wall, the seats and the
trellised columns in bricks with painted majolica tiles
depicting various brightly colored scenes.
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The
Archeological Museum
This is housed in a large pink building originally
erected in 1585 as a barracks for the cavalry. It was
subsequently transformed to become the headquarters of
Naples University (1616-1777) and was then adapted to
become a museum upon the wishes of Charles of Bourbon,
who transferred the Farnese sculpture collection and
finds from Pompeii and Herculaneum that he had inherited
to this site.
The museum, which is one of the most important in the
world, with its fine collections of sculpture,
paintings, mosaics and various other objects, provides a
wonderful picture of various aspects of Ancient Greek
and Roman life.
Sculptures worthy of particular attention are a relief
with Orpheus, Eurydice and Hermes, a replica from the
Augustan era of an original from the Phidian school; the
Doryphorus (lance- bearer), the best-existing Roman
replica of the Greek masterpiece in bronze by Policletus
(450 B.C.); the Farnese Bull, a colossal marble statue
(the largest statue from ancient times ever found, about
13 feet high), and a copy of the 2nd or 3rd century work
by Apollonius and Taurisco of Tralles reppresenting the
Punishment of Dirce.
The museum also houses the collection of mosaics from
Pompeii, the most valuable and complete collection of
its kind. One particularly famous mosaic depicts the
Battle of Issus between King Darius of Persia and
Alexander the Great, which is unique on account of its
historical and artistic value, as well as its size.
The collection of paintings includes frescoes from the
walls of villas at Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae
dating from the 1st century B.C. to the 1st century
A.D.. They include the magnificently realistic portraits
of Pasquitus Proculus and his wife.
Of the jewels in the museum, the Farnese cup, of
Alexandrian origin, is particularly beautiful. Made of
sardonyx, it is one of the largest cameos ever found.
There are also collections of small bronxes and vases.
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The
Certosa (or Charterhouse) stands on top of a spur
jutting out from the Vomero hill, with magnificent
panoramic views. It dates from the 14th century, but not
much remains of the original building, since it was
almost completely rebuilt between the end of the 16th
century and the mid-17th century by the architects G.A.
Dosio and C. Fanzago who, together with the numerous
masters in charge of the decoration, created the most
complete expression of 17th-century Baroque
architecture.
Today, it's the headquarters of the National San Martino
Museum, which is subdivided into three large sections:
historical, artistic and monumental
The church of the charterhouse is full of inlaid marble
and paintings and constitutes a gallery of Naeapolitan
17th-century painting in its own right. The most
important works include the Deposition by M. Stanzione
(1638), the Twelve Prophets by Ribera (1643), the
17th-century wooden choir, the Washing of the Feet, a
masterpiece by B. Caracciolo (1622), and The Triumph of
Judith, a fresco by Luca Giordano (1704).
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One of the museum rooms next to the church gives access
to the famous terrace with an all-encompassing, magical
view of the city and the Bay of Naples.
Naples History |
Naples travel guides
Courtesy of
Hotel Onda Verde - Amalfi Coast
(c) 1997-2008 E. Massetti
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