Santa Maria La Nova

Santa Maria la Nova is a Renaissance church in Naples' historic center distinguished by a marble balustrade staircase, two granite columns, and a shrine depicting the Virgin Mary at its entrance. The interior houses a wooden ceiling with valuable paintings and two cloisters containing historical frescoes and burial monuments.

In 1279, Charles of Anjou ordered the construction of this church as compensation for demolishing an earlier church to make room for Castel Nuovo. The building emerged from this royal restitution and became an important religious site in the city.

The wooden ceiling displays nearly fifty paintings that represent the finest examples of Neapolitan art from the early 17th century, reflecting the artistic skill of that period.

The church is accessible to visitors and allows exploration of the main building and its two cloisters, which house historical artworks. Allow adequate time to examine the interior details, frescoes, and monuments within the cloisters.

The smaller cloister houses burial monuments, including one possibly attributed to Vlad III, known as Count Dracula. This unusual tomb draws visitors intrigued by the legendary figure.

Location: Naples

Inception: 1279

Architects: Giovanni Cola di Franco

Architectural style: Renaissance architecture

Website: http://santamarialanova.com

GPS coordinates: 40.84367,14.25297

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:53