Santa Maria delle Grazie is a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

church located on

Via Toledo Via Toledo is an ancient street and one of the most important shopping thoroughfares in the city of Naples, Italy. The street is almost long and starts at Piazza Dante (Naples), Piazza Dante and ends in Piazza Trieste e Trento, near Piazza del ...

, near its intersection with Via Diaz Armando, in central

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 ...

, Italy. Façade

History

The church was built in 1628 by the Theatine Order, and initially dedicated to the Virgin of Loreto. In 1721 there was a partial reconstruction. In 1806, the Theatines were suppressed and it acquired secular use. In 1835, the church was attached to the ''Confraternita dei sette dolori'' (Confraternity of seven pains), whose original home was the Basilica church of San Francesco di Paola. The reconstruction of the church in the time of

Ferdinand II of Two Sicilies Ferdinand II (; ; ; 12 January 1810 – 22 May 1859) was King of the Two Sicilies from 1830 until his death in 1859. Family Ferdinand was born in Palermo to King Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his second wife Maria Isabella of Spain. H ...

was designed by Carlo Parascaldo. The main altar (1759) was completed by

Giuseppe Sanmartino Giuseppe Sanmartino or Sammartino (1720 – 1793) was a prominent Italian sculptor in Naples during the late Baroque period who focused on religious sculptures. His most famous work is the '' Veiled Christ'' (1753) in Sansevero Chapel in Naple ...

based on designs by Michelangelo Porzio. Beside the altar are two statues 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 ...

, representing ''Faith'' and ''Hope''. Adding to the Neoclassic decor are paintings of ''San Gennaro'' by Tommaso de Vivo, ''San Gaetano'' 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 ...

, and a ''Guardian Angel'' by Gennaro Maldarelli. The church in 2009, was reopened to public despite ongoing restorations. Image:Interno Grazie a Toledo.JPG, Interior File:Decorazioni Grazie a Toledo.JPG, Detail of Interior

Bibliography

*Antonio Terraciano, Andrea Russo, ''Le chiese di Napoli. Censimento e brevi recensioni delle 448 chiese storiche della città di Napoli'', Lorenzo Giunta Editor, 1999. {{DEFAULTSORT:Maria Grazie a Toledo Naples Roman Catholic churches in Naples Baroque architecture in Naples 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Quartieri Spagnoli