Larghetto S. Aniello a Caponapoli - Napoli (NA)

Manager: Arch. Ugo Carughi

This important church is situated on Caponapoli hill, or the area previously occupied by the acropolis of the Greek-Roman city, and is dedicated to S. Agnello, or Aniello, bishop of Naples during the 6th century. The building has a singular T-shaped plant, because the original church was the one corresponding to the present transept to which, only during the 16th century, the aisle was added with lateral chapels. All these significant renewals, which gave to the church the typical aspect it still has today, were patronised by the archbishop Giovanni Maria Poderico. In 1517 he commissioned to Girolamo Santacroce the magnificent marble altar, in which the altarpiece was also carved in pure marble. This exquisite monument of Neapolitan Renaissance was restored in 2014, when the church and its artworks were given back to the public. In fact the sacred building had been seriously damaged by a bombing in 1944 and has been closed since then: initially in ruins, later it became a complex restoration site. Since 2011 it was possible to go back into the church again, as there had been some important archaeological findings like the Greek walls dating from the 4th century B.C..
In the church an impressive wooden Crucifix of the 12th century has also been repositioned.

Status: Open

Opening hours: = Mon 1am - 1pm / 4pm - 7pm; Wed 10am- 1pm, Thur 10am - 12pm / 3:30pm - 6:30pm; 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month 10.30am - 12.30 am

Entry conditions: Free