Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

and

religion Religion is a range of social system, social-cultural systems, including designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics in religion, ethics, or ...

in general has always been an important part of the social and cultural life of

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

. It is the seat of the

Archdiocese of Naples The Archdiocese of Naples (; ); ) is a Latin archdiocese of the Catholic Church in southern Italy, the see being in Naples. A Christian community was founded there in the 1st century AD and the diocese of Naples was raised to the level of an Ar ...

, and the Catholic faith is highly important to the people of Naples and there are hundreds of historic churches in the city (about five hundred, 1000 in total).Giornaledellarte.com
/ref> The

Cathedral of Naples The Naples Cathedral (; ), or the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary (), is a Roman Catholic cathedral, the main church of Naples, southern Italy, and the seat of the Archbishop of Naples. It is widely known as the Cathedral of Saint Januarius ...

is the most important

place of worship A place of worship is a specially designed structure or space where individuals or a group of people such as a congregation come to perform acts of devotion, veneration, or religious study. A building constructed or used for this purpose is s ...

in the city, each year on September 19 it hosts the ''Miracle of

Saint Januarius Januarius ( ; ; Neapolitan and ), also known as , was Bishop of Benevento and is a martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', 'witness' Word stem, stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing ...

'', the city's

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...

. In the miracle which thousands of Neapolitans flock to witness, the dried blood of Januarius is said to turn to liquid when brought close to

relic In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial. Reli ...

s said to be of his body: this is one of the most important traditions for Neapolitans.

Churches and their styles

The cathedral of

San Gennaro Januarius ( ; ; Neapolitan and ), also known as , was Bishop of Benevento and is a martyr and saint of the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, and Armenian Apostolic Church. While no contemporary sources on his life are preserved, later ...

(Saint Januarius), was built under the patronage of

Charles of Anjou Charles I (early 1226/12277 January 1285), commonly called Charles of Anjou or Charles d'Anjou, was King of Sicily from 1266 to 1285. He was a member of the royal Capetian dynasty and the founder of the House of Anjou-Sicily. Between 1246 a ...

in 1272, on the site of the ancient Stefania cathedral of the 8th century, and completed in 1341, the work of

Nicolò Pisano Nicola Pisano (also called ''Niccolò Pisano'', ''Nicola de Apulia'' or ''Nicola Pisanus''; /1225 – ) was an Italian sculptor whose work is noted for its classical Roman sculptural style. Pisano is sometimes considered to be the founder of mod ...

, Maglione, and Masuccio. The church is in Gothic style with three naves; the façade, modified by the restoration of 1788, has been brought again to its original style; its principal door is a work of Babuccio Piferno (1407), while its chapel of San Restituta is said to date from the time of

Constantine Constantine most often refers to: * Constantine the Great, Roman emperor from 306 to 337, also known as Constantine I * Constantine, Algeria, a city in Algeria Constantine may also refer to: People * Constantine (name), a masculine g ...

. The fourteen pilasters are adorned with busts of famous archbishops of Naples. In the crypt, which was built by Malvito by order of Archbishop Carafa, is venerated the body of St. Januarius, taken there from Montevergine in 1479. Of the lateral chapels, that of the Treasure is the most notable; it is there that the head of St. Januarius and the ampullæ that contain the martyr's blood are preserved. The cathedral contains the superb sepulchres of

Innocent IV Pope Innocent IV (; – 7 December 1254), born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 25 June 1243 to his death in 1254. Fieschi was born in Genoa and studied at the universities of Parma and Bolo ...

and of a Cardinal Minutoli. the second, a work of Girolamo d'Auria; also, valuable 13th-century frescos of Santafede, Vincenzo Forti,

Luca Giordano Luca Giordano (18 October 1634 – 3 January 1705) was an Italian late-Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Fluent and decorative, he worked successfully in Naples, Rome, Florence, and Venice, before spending a decade in Spain. Early l ...

, and others, and paintings by Giovanni di Nola, Franco,

Perugino Pietro Perugino ( ; ; born Pietro Vannucci or Pietro Vanucci; – 1523), an Italian Renaissance painter of the Umbrian school, developed some of the qualities that found classic expression in the High Renaissance. Raphael became his most famous ...

, and

Domenichino Domenico Zampieri (, ; October 21, 1581 – April 6, 1641), known by the diminutive Domenichino (, ) after his shortness, was an Italian Baroque painter of the Bolognese School of painters. Life Domenichino was born in Bologna, son of a shoe ...

. Among other churches are the church of Sant Agostino alla Zecca, which has a pulpit of the 15th century, sculptures by Vincent d'Angelo and

Giovanni da Nola Giovanni da Nola (1478–1559), also known as Giovanni Merliano, was an Italian sculptor and architect of the Renaissance, active in Naples. He was born the son of a leather merchant, in Nola near Naples. Da Nola moved to Naples where he traine ...

, and a painting by Diana (the Communion of

St. Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; ; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430) was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings deeply influenced the development of Western philosop ...

). The church of the Santi Apostoli was completed in 1608; it houses works by Giordano, Marco da Siena, Bonomini, and Dolci, the tabernacle of the high altar being the work of Caugiano. The church of

San Domenico Maggiore San Domenico Maggiore is a Gothic architecture, Gothic, Roman Catholic church and monastery, founded by the friars of the Dominican Order, and located in the square of the same name in the historic center of Naples. History The square is bord ...

, dating from 1255, is rich in paintings, mosaics, and sepulchres, and in the ancient monastery connected with this church is the cell of San Thomas Aquinas. The church of Donna Regina, built by

Mary of Hungary Mary, also known as Maria of Anjou (, , ; 137117 May 1395), queen regnant, reigned as Queen of Hungary and List of dukes and kings of Croatia, Croatia between 1382 and 1385, and from 1386 until her death. She was the daughter of Louis I of Hun ...

, in 1300, and rebuilt by the Theatine Guarino in 1670, contains valuable paintings and frescos, and also, the tomb of the foundress. The church of San Filippo Neri, in baroque style, by Dionisio di Bartolomeo (1592), contains statues by Sammartino, and both the church and the sacristy have very valuable paintings by

Camillo Guerra Camillo Guerra (21 May 1797 – 10 March 1874) was an Italian painter of portraits and historical scenes. Biography Guerra was born in Naples, Italy, to a family of artists. His father Pasquale, however, was the head of a crew performing exc ...

Guido Reni Guido Reni (; 4 November 1575 – 18 August 1642) was an Italian Baroque painter, although his works showed a classical manner, similar to Simon Vouet, Nicolas Poussin, and Philippe de Champaigne. He painted primarily religious works, but al ...

Polidoro da Caravaggio Polidoro Caldara, usually known as Polidoro da Caravaggio ( – 1543), was an Italians, Italian painter of the Mannerist period, "arguably the most gifted and certainly the least conventional of Raphael's pupils", who was best known for his now- ...

Spagnoletto Jusepe de Ribera (; baptised 17 February 1591 – 3 November 1652) was a Spanish painter and Printmaking, printmaker. Ribera, Francisco de Zurbarán, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, and the singular Diego Velázquez, are regarded as the major artist ...

and others. The church of San Francesco di Paola (1817) is a Neoclassic imitation of the Pantheon, with two wings that have porticos, is adorned with paintings of the 19th century. The Basilica of San Giacomo degli Spagnoli (1540) is decorated in a

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

style. The church of

San Giovanni a Carbonara San Giovanni a Carbonara is a Gothic church in Naples, Southern Italy Southern Italy (, , or , ; ; ), also known as () or (; ; ; ), is a macroregion of Italy consisting of its southern Regions of Italy, regions. The term "" today mostly ...

(1343) contains the mausoleums of King Ladislaus of Naples, and of the constable Sergianni Caracciolo, and paintings by famous artists. The church of Santa Barbara, a work of Giuliano da Maiano, has a beautiful bas-relief of the ''Madonna with angels'' over the principal entrance, and another fine bas-relief within the edifice; adjacent to the church is the cell inhabited by

Saint Francis of Paola Francis of Paola, O.M. (also known as Francis the Fire Handler; 27 March 1416 – 2 April 1507), was a Roman Catholic friar from the town of Paola in Calabria who founded the Order of Minims. Like his patron saint (Francis of Assisi), but unlik ...

. The church of Santa Chiara (1310), restored in 1752, contains the mausoleums of

Robert the Wise Robert of Anjou (), known as Robert the Wise (; 1276 – 20 January 1343), was King of Naples, titular King of Jerusalem and Count of Provence and Forcalquier from 1309 to 1343, the central figure of Italian politics of his time. He was the thir ...

and of other personages, and also, paintings by

Lanfranco Lanfranco (active in Modena Modena (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It has 184,739 inhabitants as of 2025. ...

Giotto Giotto di Bondone (; – January 8, 1337), known mononymously as Giotto, was an List of Italian painters, Italian painter and architect from Florence during the Late Middle Ages. He worked during the International Gothic, Gothic and Italian Ren ...

, and other artists. The church of Santa Maria del Carmine, built in the 13th century, and restored in 1769, contains the tomb of

Conradin Conrad III (25 March 1252 – 29 October 1268), called ''the Younger'' or ''the Boy'', but usually known by the diminutive Conradin (, ), was the last direct heir of the House of Hohenstaufen. He was Duke of Swabia (1254–1268) and nominal King ...

, and a statue (1847) of the tragic young medieval king designed by the Neoclassic sculptor

Thorvaldsen Thorvaldsen is a surname. People with the name include: * Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770–1844), Danish/Icelandic sculptor * Randi Thorvaldsen (1925–2011), Norwegian speedskater * Thor Thorvaldsen (1909–1987), Norwegian Olympic sailor * Unn Thorval ...

and commissioned by then crown-prince,

Maximilian II of Bavaria Maximilian II (28 November 1811 – 10 March 1864) reigned as King of Bavaria between 1848 and 1864. Unlike his father, King Ludwig I, "King Max" was very popular and took a greater interest in the business of Government than in personal ext ...

. The church of St. Mary of Piedigrotta, where each year, about September, popular feasts are celebrated. The church of Santa Anna of the Lombards of Monte Oliveto (1411) contains many works of art, and also the tomb of the architect

Carlo Fontana Carlo Fontana (1634/1638–1714) was an Italian people, Italian"Carlo Fontana."
''Encyclopæ ...

. The church of San Pietro ad Aram, so called because it contains an altar upon which St. Peter is said to have celebrated Mass. The church of Santa Maria del Parto, built by the poet Sannazaro, contains the mausoleum of its founder, a work of Fra Giovanni Montorsoli The church of

San Paolo Maggiore San Paolo Maggioreo may refer to: * San Paolo Maggiore, Bologna, church in Bologna, Italy * San Paolo Maggiore, Naples, church in Naples, Italy {{disambiguation ...

, built on the ruins of the ancient temple of Castor and Pollux, after the plans of the Theatin Francesco Grimaldi; the church of SS. Severinus and Sosius, which is very ancient, was restored in 1490 and in 1609. While painting the vault of this temple, the artist Correnzio, falling from the scaffolding, was killed and he lies buried at the place of his fall; other artists have also adorned this church with fine works. The church of the Most Holy Trinity, or the new

Gesù Nuovo Gesù Nuovo ("New Jesus") is the name of both a church and a square in Naples, Italy. It is located just beyond the western edge of the city's historic center. To the southeast of the spire, one can see, just a block away, the Fountain of Monteoli ...

, an ancient palace converted into a church by the Jesuit Provedo (1584). Mention should be made, however, of the catacombs, near the church of San Gennaro degli Poveri, famous in the 2nd century, and of the new cemetery, rich in artistic monuments, among which are the ''Pietà'' by Calì in the chapel, and the statue of ''Religion'' by

Tito Angelini Tito Angelini (1806–1878) was an Italian sculptor and leader of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Napoli, Academy of Fine Arts in Naples, where he was born and died. Biography image:2104 - Catania - Fontana in Piazza del Duomo - Foto di Giova ...

Some churches in Naples

Certosa di San Martino The ("List of Carthusian monasteries, Charterhouse of St. Martin") is a former monastery complex, now a National Museum of San Martino, museum, in Naples, southern Italy. Along with Castel Sant'Elmo that stands beside it, this is the most visible ...

Naples Cathedral The Naples Cathedral (; ), or the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary (), is a Roman Catholic cathedral, the main church of Naples, southern Italy, and the seat of the Archbishop of Naples. It is widely known as the Cathedral of Saint Januarius ...

* San Francesco di Paola *

* Girolamini *

* Sant'Angelo a Segno * Santa Chiara *

San Paolo Maggiore San Paolo Maggioreo may refer to: * San Paolo Maggiore, Bologna, church in Bologna, Italy * San Paolo Maggiore, Naples, church in Naples, Italy {{disambiguation ...

Santa Maria della Sanità, Naples The Basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità is a basilica church located over the Catacombs of San Gaudioso, on a Piazza near where Via Sanità meets Via Teresa degli Scalzi, in the Rione of the Sanità, in Naples, Italy. The church is also called ...

* Santa Maria del Carmine *

Sant'Agostino alla Zecca Sant Agostino alla Zecca, also known as Sant'Agostino Maggiore is a church in central Naples, Italy. Originally granted to the Augustinian monks by Robert I of Anjou in 1259. The church underwent extensive reconstruction in the Baroque The ...

Madre del Buon Consiglio The Basilica of the Crowned Mother of Good Counsel (Italian: ''Basilica della incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio'') is a Roman Catholic minor basilica located in Naples, southern Italy. It is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the tit ...

Santa Maria Donna Regina Nuova Santa Maria Donnregina Nuova is a church in central Naples, Italy. It is called ''Nuova'' ("new") to distinguish it from the older Angevin church of Santa Maria Donna Regina Vecchia. History The earliest church was built on this location in the ...

San Lorenzo Maggiore San Lorenzo Maggiore is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Benevento, in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is a member of the Titerno Local Action Group. Geography San Lorenzo Maggiore covers 16.17 square kilometers of hilly land ...

Santa Maria Donna Regina Vecchia Santa Donna Regina Vecchia is a church in Naples, in southern Italy. It is called ''Vecchia'' ("old") to distinguish it from the newer and adjacent church of Santa Maria Donna Regina Nuova. The earliest mention of a church on this site is from th ...

Santa Caterina a Formiello Santa Caterina a Formiello is a church in Naples, in southern Italy, located at the extreme eastern end of the old historic center of the city, on Via Carbonara and Piazza Enrico de Nicola, near the gate called Porta Capuana. The term ''Formiello' ...

* Santissima Annunziata Maggiore *

San Gregorio Armeno San Gregorio Armeno ("St. Gregory the Armenian") is a church and a monastery in Naples, Italy. It is one of the most important Baroque complexes in Naples. The church is located on a street of the same name just south of Via dei Tribunali and a fe ...

Santa Maria La Nova Santa Maria La Nova may refer to: * Santa Maria La Nova, Campagna, hamlet in Campagna, Italy * Santa Maria La Nova, Caltanissetta, cathedral in Caltanissetta, Italy * Santa Maria La Nova, Naples, church building in Naples, Italy * Santa Maria La ...

Sant'Anna dei Lombardi Sant'Anna dei Lombardi, (), and also known as Santa Maria di Monte Oliveto, is an ancient church and convent located in ''piazza Monteoliveto'' in central Naples, Italy. Across Monteoliveto street from the Fountain in the square is the Renaissanc ...

Sant'Eligio Maggiore Sant’Eligio Maggiore is a church in Naples, southern Italy. It is located near Piazza Mercato, Naples, Piazza Mercato (Market Square), and was built during the reign of Charles of Anjou by the same congregation that built the nearby Sant’Elig ...

Santa Restituta Santa Restituta is a church in Naples, southern Italy, dedicated to Saint Restituta. The foundation of the basilica is attributed to the Emperor Constantine the Great in the 4th century and is mentioned in a passage from the life of Pope Syl ...

* Sansevero Chapel *

San Pietro a Maiella San Pietro a Majella is a church in Naples, Italy. The term may also refer to the adjacent Naples music conservatory, which occupies the premises of the monastery that used to form a single complex with the church. The church stands at the west ...

San Gennaro extra Moenia San Gennaro extra Moenia ("San Gennaro Beyond the Walls") is a church in Naples, Italy. It is located in the Rione Sanita on the large road that leads up to the Capodimonte museum and is an example of so-called paleo-Christian architecture in t ...

San Ferdinando San Ferdinando ( Calabrian: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about southwest of Catanzaro and about northeast of Reggio Calabria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a populat ...

Pio Monte della Misericordia The Pio Monte della Misericordia is a church in the historic center of Naples, southern Italy. It is famous for its art works, including Caravaggio's '' The Seven Works of Mercy''. A charity brotherhood (''Pio Monte della Misericordia'' in I ...

* Santa Maria di Montesanto *

Sant'Antonio Abate Sant'Antonio Abate () is a (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Naples in the Italian region Campania, located about 30 km southeast of Naples. Sant'Antonio Abate borders the following municipalities: Angri, Gragnano, Lettere, Pompe ...

Santa Caterina a Chiaia Santa Caterina a Chiaia (also known as ''Santa Caterina martire'') is a Roman Catholic church located on via Santa Caterina 76 in Naples, Italy. It is located near Piazza dei Martiri in the Chiaia section of the city, near where Via Santa Caterin ...

* Santissima Trinità alla Cesarea * Spires of Naples * San Pietro Martire *

Hermitage of Camaldoli The Hermitage of Camaldoli, in Italian Complesso dell'Eremo dei Camaldoli, is a hermitage in Naples, Campania, Italy — also known in Italian as ''Eremo Santissimo Salvatore Camaldoli.'' Originally intended as an actual hermitage, a pla ...

* Archbishop's Palace * Fontanelle cemetery * Santa Maria Avvocata * San Giuseppe Maggiore dei Falegnami

Notes

References

;Attributions {{DEFAULTSORT:Churches In Naples