Santa Chiara, Gothic monastery and basilica in central Naples, Italy
Santa Chiara is a monastic church complex in central Naples organized around a square cloister with arched colonnades and colorful ceramic tiles. The basilica itself displays a plain interior with tall pointed arches and a narrow nave after wartime damage.
Robert of Naples founded this complex in 1310 as a Franciscan church and Poor Clare convent for his wife Sancha. During World War II the church suffered heavy bomb damage and was then restored in simple form.
The complex takes its name from Saint Clare of Assisi and served as a royal burial site for the Anjou dynasty. Visitors today find the tiled cloister a place where locals pause for quiet reflection away from the noise of the streets.
The entrance to the basilica is on Piazza del Gesù Nuovo, while the museum and cloister require a separate entrance. Visitors should plan at least an hour to see the entire complex.
The majolica tiles in the cloister were added only in the 18th century and show everyday Neapolitan life like fishing boats or landscapes alongside religious themes. Visitors also discover Roman ruins beneath the monastery floor through archaeological windows along the cloister walls.
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