Santa Maria dell’Aiuto, Baroque church in central Naples, Italy
Santa Maria dell'Aiuto is a baroque church in central Naples featuring a tall facade with curved architectural details and decorative pilasters flanking the sides. The interior combines structural elements from its original construction with artistic additions that arrived over time.
Building started in the 1670s as a response to increased donations following the 1656 plague that devastated the city. The architect Dionisio Lazzari shaped the early construction phase with classical baroque design principles.
The church holds several paintings from the 18th century by Gaspare Traversi that depict important moments in Mary's life. These works reveal the artistic care invested in decorating the sacred space.
The church sits on a quiet side street in the historic old city and is easy to reach on foot by using nearby Santa Maria la Nova as a reference point. Visitors should expect narrow lanes and uneven ground since this neighborhood is built on sloped terrain.
The church grew from a sacred image that two young devotees placed in a small shrine and used to launch construction of an initial chapel. These humble origins reveal how personal faith could trigger the creation of an architectural landmark.
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