San Domenico Maggiore

Lording over the popular Piazza San Domenico is one of Naples most beautiful churches, San Domenico Maggiore. Constructed between 1283 and 1324, the church incorporates the remains of a small 10th-century Romanesque church named San Michele Arcangelo a Morfisa. Throughout the centuries, San Domenico Maggiore has undergone transformation after transformation, from Gothic to Baroque and back again, resulting in a rich and unique combination of ornamentation.

Today, its ornate façade is adorned in Gothic-style marble decorations, towering high above the cafés and small shops that line the square. Inside, the tall walls and pillars are covered in gilded plasterwork, basked in light from the coloured, glass windows up above.

Art lovers can head to the Brancaccio Chapel area which houses some of Pietro Cavallini's most famous frescoes. Each one evokes a reverent Renaissance style and depicts various tales from the lives of Mary Magdalene and Saint John the Evangelist, as well as the Crucifixion and the Apostles Peter, Paul and Andrew. Saint Thomas Aquinas once lived in a monastery contained within its walls and is said to have taught theology on the grounds, making it the first seat of the University of Naples.

There are also forty-five sculpted tombs in the Sacristy, the burial place of the members of the royal Aragonese family as well as Raymond of Capua, a former Master General of the Dominican Order.

Outside is the Piazza San Domenico, one of the most beautiful squares in Naples and a wonderful place to relax with some refreshments or have a bite to eat after taking in all that the church has to offer. San Domenico Maggiore is located in the centre of Naples, making access via bus or metro a breeze. It's open all year round and entry is free to the general public.