Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
blood of St. Patrizia liquefies to ensure the fertility of the Neapolitans, and the
birth of babies. This church, incidentally, was built on the site of an ancient tem-
ple to the fertility goddess Ceres. Nearby you'll find the city's best
presipe
(nativity
scene) artisans. The figurines are marvelously detailed, and make fine souvenirs.
Closer to the Via dei Tribunali, don't miss the Renaissance
Gerolamini
Monastery
(Via Duomo, 142),
with its 60,000-volume library of ancient books and
documents. It's not just the books you come to see but also the inner garden of the
cloisters, filled with lemon trees. You pass through the garden on your way to the
library and its adjacent gallery, with fascinating works by Luca Giordano, like his
Mourning the Death of Christ
(studied for its grotesque style). Also worth a look
here is the baroque church of
Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatoria ad Arco
5
(Via Tribunali, 39).
You'll easily spot this church by the funerary decorations on its
facade, including skulls and bones on the columns. Inside, take a quick peek at the
sculpted skull with wings and crossbones of the church's designer Cosimo Fanzago,
the region's king of baroque architecture. Next, head straight down to the ceme-
tery, open only from 11:30am to 12:30pm, Monday through Saturday. Here the
eerie custom of praying for souls in purgatory is a testament to the religious fervor
of many Neapolitans, who fill up the pews each day. From here you can peek
through the side grates at piles of bones and skulls that were said to have been
“adopted” by women married to soldiers during the war. These women would care
for the skulls and even sleep next to them in the absence of their husbands.
Sights in Santa Lucia
The grime and edginess of the old historical center and Spanish Quarter seem to
melt away when you enter the Santa Lucia and waterfront area. Whether you're
having a glass of wine and people-watching on Piazza Trieste e Trento or at the
nearby Piazza del Plebiscito, or knocking around the Palazzo Reale or Castel
Nuovo, there's little in what is referred to as Royal Naples that doesn't impress.
Castel Nuovo
(Largo Castello, entrance from Piazza Municipio;
%
081-
7952003;
€
5; Mon-Sat 9am-7:30pm)
is probably the first thing you see, after Mt.
Vesuvius, if you're arriving in Naples by boat. Its stoic exterior is a mainstay in the
waterfront skyline, with its five towers and stark Renaissance doorway. Enter from
the back off the Piazza Municipio and head straight to the top for the view of
the harbor. Don't miss the bronze doors by Guglielmo Monaco, complete with
an embedded cannonball. The museum specializes in 19th-century Neapolitan
artists, but only a few works are outstanding, including Vincenzo Caprile's
Vecchia Napoli,
which shows the famous Zizze fountain in its original glory. More
captivating than the museum is the
Cappella delle Anime del Purgatorio,
which
has very vivid, if unnerving, frescoes of life in purgatory and the various forms of
torture. The Sala dei Baroni is where the modern-day Neapolitan City Council
meets, and can easily be skipped.
Next door is the
Palazzo Reale
55
5
(entrance near Piazza Trieste e Trento, at
present the main entrance at Piazza del Plebiscito is closed;
€
4; 9am-8pm, closed
Wed),
which is not to be confused with the Palazzo Reale, high on the
Capodimonte hill. This one is a natural accompaniment to the nearby Castel
Nuovo. Its main courtyard and charming gardens are free, and Neapolitan nan-
nies bring the city's wealthy children here to play. Once inside, you'll find the
Grand Staircase and the royal apartments are the most fascinating aspects of the
