Chiostri di Santa Chiara, Cloister complex in Naples, Italy

The Chiostri di Santa Chiara are four cloisters of the Santa Chiara monastic complex in Naples. The majolica cloister, rebuilt in 1739 by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro, has an octagonal tiled balustrade with a bench-like seat, painted with yellow, blue, green and white landscape and figure panels, and square pilasters with floral patterns supporting dark wooden beams over a terracotta floor. The small cloister of San Francesco keeps its original arcade columns.

The four cloisters belong to the Santa Chiara monastic complex. The oldest, the Servizio cloister, dates to the 14th century, though only in fragmented form. The majolica cloister was rebuilt in 1739 by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro during a radical artistic renewal of the whole complex, and it survived the World War II bombings of Naples. The Friars Minor cloister kept its original structure because the friars, fewer and poorer than the Clarisse, spent nothing on renovations.

The majolica cloister, or cloister of the Clarisse, was rebuilt in 1739 by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro as part of a radical artistic renewal of the whole monastic complex. Its benches, parapet and corner pilasters carry painted landscape and figure panels in yellow, blue, green and white. The cloister survived the World War II bombing of Naples.

The best time to visit is in the morning when crowds are lighter and light fills the arcaded spaces. The walkways are flat and easy to navigate, though some areas can feel narrow.

The majolica cloister is the only one of the four to have survived the World War II bombing of Naples, so its 1739 tiled seats and pilasters are the original work of Domenico Antonio Vaccaro. The neighbouring cloister of the Friars Minor kept its earlier form because the friars, fewer and poorer than the Clarisse, spent nothing on the 18th-century modernisations.