Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
era painted the gripping canvas
St Gennaro Escaping the Furnace Unscathed
and Gio-
vanni Lanfranco created the dizzying dome fresco. Hidden away in a strongbox behind
the altar is a 14th-century silver bust in which sit the skull of San Gennaro and the two
phials that hold his miraculously liquefying blood.
Below the high altar is the
Cappella Carafa
, a Renaissance chapel built to house yet
more of the saint's remains.
Off the north aisle sits one of Naples' oldest basilicas, dating to the 4th century. Incor-
porated into the main cathedral, the
Basilica di Santa Restituta
was subject to an almost com-
plete makeover after the earthquake of 1688. From it you can access Western Europe's
oldest
baptistry
, pimped with glittering 4th-century mosaics. At the time of writing, the
duomo
's subterranean
archaeological zone
- featuring the remains of Greek and Roman
buildings and roads - was closed indefinitely.
If you're intrigued by Naples' cultish love affair with San Gennaro, consider popping
081 29 49 80;
www.museosangennaro.com
; Via Duomo 149; adult/reduced €7/5; 9am-5pm Fri-Tue, to
3pm Thu; C55 to Via Duomo)
; its glittering collection of precious ex-voto gifts includes
bronze busts, silver ampullae, sumptuous paintings and a gilded 18th-century sedan chair
used to shelter the saint's bust on rainy procession days.
MADRE
(Museo d'Arte Contemporanea Donnaregina; 081 1931 3016;
www.coopculture.it
;
Via Settembrini 79;
admission €7, Mon free; 10am-7.30pm Mon & Wed-Sat, to 8pm Sun; Piazza Cavour)
Seek refuge
from the ancient at Naples' impressive contemporary-art museum. While the 1st floor is
dedicated to specially commissioned installations (among them Rebecca Horn's eerie
Spirits
and Francesco Clemente's erotically charged Neapolitan fresco
Ave Ovo
), the 2nd
floor's 'Historical Collection' of modern painting, photography, sculpture and installa-
tions includes blockbuster names like Damien Hirst, Cindy Sherman and Olafur Eliasson.
The museum also hosts top-notch temporary exhibitions spanning local to international
artists.
ART GALLERY
Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo
CHURCH
( 081 551 86 13; Piazza del Gesù Nuovo; 7am-1pm & 4.15-8pm Mon-Sat, 7am-1.45pm Sun;
Dante)
In a case of architectural recycling, this 16th-century church actually sports the
