The Church of San Ferdinando is a historic church located on the Piazza Triesti e Trento, near the

Royal Palace of Naples The Royal Palace of Naples ( it, Palazzo Reale di Napoli, italic=no, nap, Palazzo Riale ‘e Napule) is a palace, museum, and historical tourist destination located in central Naples, southern Italy. It was one of the four residences near Napl ...

, in central

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

, Italy.

History

The original church at the site was dedicated by the

Jesuits The Society of Jesus ( la, Societas Iesu; abbreviation: SJ), also known as the Jesuits (; la, Iesuitæ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

to Saint

Francis Xavier Francis Xavier (born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta; Latin: ''Franciscus Xaverius''; Basque: ''Frantzisko Xabierkoa''; French: ''François Xavier''; Spanish: ''Francisco Javier''; Portuguese: ''Francisco Xavier''; 7 April 15063 December 1 ...

, and was built in 1636. Reconstruction in mid 1650s was entrusted to

Cosimo Fanzago Cosimo Fanzago (Clusone, 12 October 1591 – Napoli, 13 February 1678) was an Italian architect and sculptor, generally considered the greatest such artist of the Baroque period in Naples, Italy. Facade Santa Maria della Sapienza. Biography Fanz ...

. In 1767, with the expulsion of the Jesuits from the realm, the church was granted to the

Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (SMOCG) ( it, Sacro Militare Ordine Costantiniano di San Giorgio, es, Sagrada Orden Militar Constantiniana de San Jorge), also historically referred to as the Imperial Constantinian Order ...

who dedicated the church to Saint

Ferdinand III of Castile Ferdinand III ( es, Fernando, link=no; 1199/120130 May 1252), called the Saint (''el Santo''), was King of Castile from 1217 and King of León from 1230 as well as King of Galicia from 1231. He was the son of Alfonso IX of León and Berenguela of ...

, the patron saint of the reigning king of Naples Ferdinand IV. The vault has a fresco with the story of Saint Francis Xavier and other Jesuits by

Paolo De Matteis Paolo de Matteis (also known as ''Paolo de' Matteis''; 9 February 1662 – 26 January 1728) was an Italian painter. Biography He was born in Piano Vetrale, a hamlet of Orria, in the current Province of Salerno, and died in Naples. He trained wit ...

. The church contains statues by

Domenico Antonio Vaccaro Domenico Antonio Vaccaro (June 3, 1678 – June 13, 1745) was an Italian painter, sculptor and architect. He created many important sculptural and architectural projects in Naples. His later works are executed in an individualistic Rococo s ...

and

Giuseppe Sanmartino Giuseppe Sanmartino or Giuseppe Sammartino (1720 – 1793) was an Italian sculptor during the Rococo period. Sanmartino was born in Naples. His first dated (1753) work is '' Veiled Christ'' or ''Christ lying under the Shroud'', commissioned initia ...

. The main altarpiece is a canvas depicting ''San Ferdinando'' by

Federico Maldarelli Federico or Federigo Maldarelli (October 2, 1826 – December 9, 1893) was an Italian painter born in Naples. Biography His father was a painter, but Maldarelli's first formal training was under Costanzo Angelini. He first exhibited at the 1839 ...

.Comune of Naples
entry on church.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferdinando Naples 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Churches in Naples Baroque church buildings in Naples 1636 establishments in Italy Religious organizations established in the 1660s Roman Catholic churches completed in 1759 1759 establishments in Italy

History

See also

References

External links