Pio Monte della Misericordia, Church and art museum in Naples, Italy
Pio Monte della Misericordia is a church and art museum in Naples, Italy. The octagonal worship space displays Caravaggio's altarpiece The Seven Works of Mercy alongside paintings from the Neapolitan school of the 17th century.
Seven young Neapolitan noblemen founded this institution in 1602 to support people living in poverty. The church was built a few years later as an architectural expression of this charitable mission and has housed the famous Caravaggio painting since its consecration in 1658.
The name refers to the seven works of mercy taught by Christian tradition, which still guide the building's purpose today. Visitors can see not only paintings but also archival materials showing how social assistance developed in Naples through the centuries.
The site opens from Monday through Saturday during morning and afternoon hours, and on Sundays until early afternoon. Admission grants access to both the church and the exhibition rooms on the upper floor.
The Caravaggio painting still hangs in the place it was originally created for, directly above the church altar. This rare circumstance allows visitors to experience the work in its original spatial and liturgical context.
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