It's the dawn of a new Cathedral

Deprived of a third of its length and façade for the construction of the Angevin Cathedral, it incorporates styles and elements that tell the story of the historical periods it has gone through, harmonized at the end of the 17th century by Arcangelo Guglielmelli.

One of the church's jewels is the Chapel of Santa Maria del Principio, with its mosaic from the early 14th century depicting the Madonna and Child between San Gennaro and Santa Restituta, created by Lello da Orvieto.

The San Giovanni in Fonte Baptistery was founded by Bishop Severus between the late 4th and early 5th century. It owes its beauty to the characteristic square plan with a dome covering connected to the drum by angular pendentives, combining elements of Roman and Eastern architecture.

The Baptistery is a masterpiece of early Christian mosaic art in southern Italy, testifying not only to the importance of the Neapolitan Church but also to the still flourishing artistic culture of the city during this period.

The mosaics express, through biblical scenes and the allegory of lush nature, the spiritual graces of Baptism imparted here on Easter night. The surviving scenes, such as the Resurrection, the Wedding at Cana, the Samaritan Woman at the well, the Traditio Legis, illustrate, vividly reflecting the words of the Church Fathers, the mysteries of Faith, as learned by the Catechumens in their path of initiation.

At the center of the floor is the baptismal font made of cocciopesto. It is the sacred place where the faithful were immersed to be purified and reborn to new life. Baptism is the first among the sacraments of the Christian faith, and the symbolic act of immersion in water marked the entry of the baptized into the Christian community.

According to the discoverer, this space served as the atrium of the early Christian basilica, called Stefanìa in the sources, named after Bishop Stephen I who allegedly erected it at the beginning of the 7th century, and which was thought to stand parallel to the previous Constantinian cathedral (now Santa Restituta).

Over the decades, the quadriportico has been freed from the modern masonry that incorporated it, and has had various functional interpretations and different datings over time.

Thanks to new excavations and more in-depth studies, including the discovery of a large basin (probably a fountain) at the center of the colonnade, scholars have been led to believe that this building was the atrium that connected the various parts of the episcopal complex of Naples. The polychrome mosaic preserved in an arcade and the data that emerged from archaeological investigations have allowed dating the structure to the middle of the 5th century.

The interior has a Latin cross plan, with three naves and side chapels. Here the majesty of Gothic architecture is expressed, to which are added the 17th-century gilding on the ceiling and the ancient columns against the pillars, which make the environment even more sacred and grandiose.

In the Cathedral there are numerous works of art, among which stand out the altarpiece by Perugino, the Minutolo Chapel and the Chapel of the Illustrissimi, completely frescoed and characterized by the original Gothic architecture.

On the walls of the left transept are the organ doors, the tombs of Popes Innocent IV and XII, and the sepulchral monuments of other bishops and cardinals.

Among the other works are the 14th-century Episcopal Throne, the Renaissance pulpit, and a vast collection of sacred art. Among the sepulchral monuments, those of the Angevin sovereigns, such as Charles I of Anjou and Charles Martel, restored by Domenico Fontana, are well-known.

With Cardinal Innico Caracciolo (1667-1685), the chapel became the seat of the Congregation of Apostolic Missions, and to commemorate the prestige of this congregation, it became known as "of the illustrissimi" (most illustrious).

It is considered practically the twin chapel of the Minutolo Chapel, which is located on the right side of the transept.

It also preserves a marble architrave on which Stories of the Passion are painted, attributed to the 14th-century Avignon school, along with other pieces by artists of similar refinement, especially by the virtually unknown author of the splendid altar surmounted by frescoes also by Balducci and a Visitation by Santoro.

The Chapel can only be visited through the 500 domes on the Cathedral Rooftops experience.

Decorated with medieval frescoes, including those by Montano d'Arezzo, it houses the sepulchral monuments of members of the Minutolo family, such as that of Archbishop Enrico Minutolo, created by Antonio Baboccio, and that of Filippo Minutolo.

It is in this chapel that one of the stories from Boccaccio's "Decameron" is set, where poor Andreuccio from Perugia is robbed and becomes involved in the theft of treasures buried in the archbishop's tomb.

In the apse, the heart of the chapel, is the urn with the relics of San Gennaro. The chapel also houses a praying statue of Cardinal Oliviero Carafa, for which an attribution to Michelangelo has been proposed.

The walls are embellished with reliefs and niches with candelabra, the floor is made of inlaid marble, the windows are decorated with angels and embellished with the heraldic emblem of the Carafa family.

Tommaso Malvito, architect and sculptor, is credited with the material execution of the Chapel of the Succorpo. Although there are no documents that allow attributing the architectural project to the artist - attributable to Donato Bramante - there is no doubt in crediting him with the direction and creation of the vast marble decoration that extends along the walls and ceiling of the magnificent Chapel.

Originally it was a modest building accessed via a wooden staircase, and from one of its windows the miracle of the Saint was announced to the people.

The Chapel was decorated at the behest of Vicereine Maria of Toledo, who, grateful to the Saint to whom she had entrusted herself for the safety of her husband, Don Ferdinand De Toledo, Viceroy of Naples and Duke of Alba, engaged in the Tronto war, wanted to pay homage to his intercession for his safe return.

The Chapel was thus decorated by Giambernardo Lama with scenes from the New and Old Testament and enriched with an altarpiece by Fabrizio Santafede.

The Treasury Chapel is decorated by artists such as Michelangelo Naccherino and Gian Domenico Vinaccia, who have contributed to making it a casket of absolute beauty.

The Chapel of the New Treasury houses works such as reliquaries, busts, silver and bronze objects, and the statue of San Gennaro created by Giuliano Finelli.

The absolute protagonists of the Chapel of the New Treasury are the relics of San Gennaro.

Here, in fact, are kept the reliquary bust and the ampoules containing the miraculous blood.

Discover more treasures in the museum dedicated to the Treasure of San Gennaro, with entrance next to the Duomo of Naples.

The vault is frescoed with the painting by Santolo Cirillo depicting San Gennaro defending Naples and preserves in the attic remains of the 14th-century decoration.

On the walls is the chronotaxis of Neapolitan bishops, and on the altar is the cabinet door commissioned by Cardinal Alfonso Gesualdo from Giovanni Balducci depicting the Virgin between Saints Gennaro and Agnello.

The walkways on the Cathedral rooftops offer a privileged observation of the Cathedral's architecture and a view of the city stretching from the sea to the hinterland.

From the Cathedral rooftops, the view extends over the 500 domes of the historic centre of Naples.

The opening of the rooftop route was made possible thanks to previous restoration works carried out in 2015 as part of the Great Project "Historic Centre of Naples, enhancement of the UNESCO site".

Today, thanks to the collaboration between the Fondazione Napoli C'Entro and the City of Naples, this space has been restored to full public use.

The rooftop tour begins from the Chapel of the Illustrissimi, then passes through parts of the Cathedral that were previously inaccessible.

The final stop of the tour is the rooftops, from where the architectural evolution of the Cathedral is visible and a unique panorama of the city is revealed.

From the walkways, the panorama embraces the sea, the Sanità valley, the domes of the Borgo dei Vergini, Spaccanapoli, the Vomero hill with Castel Sant'Elmo.

Purchase tickets for the rooftop tour