Santa Maria della Consolazione a Villanova

Santa Maria della Consolazione a Villanova is a Baroque church in the Villanova district of Naples with a central-plan design enriched by ornate stucco work and marble details throughout. The interior displays intricate architectural craftsmanship with carefully composed decorative elements.

The church was completed in 1737 under architect Ferdinando Sanfelice, marking the end of a construction period that shaped religious architecture in Naples. Its development reflected broader architectural trends of the Baroque era in the city.

Two notable paintings by Paolo de Maio, depicting the Nativity and the Virgin surrounded by saints, adorn the interior walls of this religious monument.

The church is most easily reached on foot in the historic district, and visiting earlier in the day offers better lighting to see the interior decorations clearly. Access is straightforward if you follow the main streets and use landmarks to navigate the area.

The sacristy preserves wash basins from a period more than two centuries before the church was built, revealing how older objects were incorporated into the Baroque structure. These basins provide a tangible link to religious practices from an earlier time.