San Gennaro, Baroque church in Capodimonte, Naples, Italy

San Gennaro is a small church in the park of the Royal Palace of Capodimonte in Naples, built to plans by Ferdinando Sanfelice. Its sober facade has Doric pilasters; the bright interior is centred on an oval space with restrained decoration and niches. Only two of the four statues remain, Saint Charles Borromeo and Saint Amelia. Above the main altar hangs Leonardo Olivieri's painting of Saint Januarius in glory.

Charles VII of Naples commissioned the church in 1745 to serve the staff living in the park of the royal palace of Capodimonte. Ferdinando Sanfelice drew the plans, giving the facade Doric pilasters that anticipate Neoclassical taste. In 1776 it was raised to the rank of parish church. Closed for worship from 1969, it reopened to visitors on 6 July 2021 and was blessed again on 19 November 2021 by Archbishop Battaglia.

The church is named after Saint Januarius, but it was built to serve the people who lived and worked in the park of the royal palace of Capodimonte, and in 1776 it became their parish. Above the main altar hangs a painting of Saint Januarius in glory by Leonardo Olivieri, a pupil of Francesco Solimena.

The church stands inside the park of the Royal Palace of Capodimonte, in the San Carlo all'Arena district, so access is through the park grounds rather than a street entrance. It was closed for worship from 1969 until 2021, when it reopened to visitors on 6 July with a new arrangement by Santiago Calatrava, and worship resumed on 19 November 2021. Check current opening arrangements with the Capodimonte park before setting out.

The church was closed for worship from 1969 until 2021, when architect Santiago Calatrava designed a new setting for it as part of the exhibition "Santiago Calatrava. Nella luce di Napoli"; it reopened to visitors on 6 July 2021 and was blessed by Archbishop Battaglia on 19 November 2021.