Santa Maria della Salute, Baroque church in Naples, Italy
Santa Maria della Salute is a Baroque church in Naples featuring an ornate interior of colored marble and sculptural details. The elevated main altar overlooks the nave, while a series of side chapels with ornamental staircases and decorative elements divide the space.
A Dominican monastery was established in 1577, providing the foundation for the church that was constructed between 1602 and 1613 under architect Giuseppe Nuvolo. This rebuilding period transformed the monastery into a prominent religious site with Baroque design.
The name refers to health and healing, virtues the community has sought here since its foundation. Visitors can still see the many votive images left by people over the centuries.
The church sits in an older neighborhood of Naples best explored on foot, as the area features narrow streets and uneven surfaces. Visitors should wear appropriate clothing since it remains an active pilgrimage site, and note that underground areas require navigating additional steps.
Beneath the church lies a crypt with ten shallow altars decorated with frescoes that serves as the burial site of San Gaudioso, an early Christian bishop from North Africa. This underground chamber connects the church to an intriguing layer of early Christian history.
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