Santi Marcellino e Festo, Former baroque church in historic Naples, Italy.
Santi Marcellino e Festo is a former baroque church in Naples featuring a Latin cross layout with three chapels flanking each side and a dome crowned with decorative tiles. The complex includes spaces now occupied by the Department of Earth Sciences and a paleontology museum.
The complex originated in 1635 from the merger of two Benedictine convents built around a 16th-century cloister designed by Giovanni Vincenzo Della Monica. Its interior was later enriched by the work of Luigi Vanvitelli and contributions from accomplished painters including Simonelli and Stanzione.
The building's marble decorations and artwork by renowned artists reflect how this space was designed to inspire and impress visitors in its religious days. Today, the same rooms serve students and researchers, blending spiritual grandeur with academic purpose.
Access is through the university building, as the spaces are used for teaching and research and visits are possible only under certain conditions. Guided tours are available to help explore the architecture and historical layout of the complex.
Inside, the Oratorio della Scala Santa contains a double staircase leading to a garden area, designed by Luigi Vanvitelli in 1772. This hidden chapel is an overlooked architectural feature that many visitors miss when exploring the complex.
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