San Giacomo degli Spagnoli is a basilica church in Piazza Municipio 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. The

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...

church was enveloped in 1812 by the Palazzo San Giacomo built by King Ferdinand I of Bourbon when he built a central block of offices for the ministries of his government adjacent to the fortress of the

Castel Nuovo Castel Nuovo (; "New Castle"), often called Maschio Angioino (; "Angevin Keep"), is a medieval castle located in front of Piazza Municipio and the city hall ( Palazzo San Giacomo) in central Naples, Campania, Italy. Its scenic location and impo ...

. The Palazzo San Giacomo is now the municipio or city hall of Naples. Another church of

San Giacomo degli Spagnoli Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore ("Our Lady of the Sacred Heart", also known as San Giacomo degli Spagnoli and in Spanish, Santiago de los Españoles) is a Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary located in Rome's Piazza Navona. History An ...

is found in Rome. The original church was commissioned in 1540 by the Spanish viceroy Don

Pedro Álvarez de Toledo, Marquis of Villafranca Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Galician name for ''Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic form is Peter. The counterpart patronymic surname of the name Pedro, meaning " ...

and associated with the adjacent hospital for the poor. The church was dedicated to

St James Saint James or St. James may refer to: People Saints *James, brother of Jesus (died 62 or 69), also known as James the Just *James the Great (died 44), Apostle, also known as James, son of Zebedee, or Saint James the Greater **Saint James Matamoro ...

, the patron saint of Spain, and designed by

Ferdinando Manlio Ferdinando Manlio (died in 1570) was an Italian sculptor, architect and urban planner of the Renaissance, active in Naples. He trained under the sculptor Giovanni da Nola. From 1540, he led the rebuilding of the Basilica of the Santissima Annu ...

. The construction of the Palazzo San Giacomo did away with the facade, but retained the internal layout of three naves and a tall central ceiling. The interior still retains a number of monumental tombs, including for the viceroy Don Pedro de Toledo, his wife and son, sculpted in 1570 by

Giovanni da Nola Giovanni da Nola (1478–1559), also known as Giovanni Merliano, was an Italian sculptor and architect of the Renaissance, active in Naples. He was born the son of a leather merchant, in Nola near Naples. Da Nola moved to Naples where he trained ...

. Near the entrance are two sculptures by Francesco Cassano. In addition the tomb of Ferdinando Maiorca and his wife Porzia Coniglia in the apse was completed by

Michelangelo Naccherino Michelangelo Naccherino (Florence, March 6, 1550 – Naples, February, 1622) was an Italian sculptor and architect, active mainly in the Kingdom of Naples, Italy. He supposedly was a pupil of Giambologna in Florence, but due to disagreemen ...

. The tomb of Alfonso Basurto, was carved by

Annibale Caccavello Annibale Caccavello (1515–1595) was an Italian sculptor of the Renaissance, active in his native city of Naples. He trained under Giovanni Merliano (Giovanni da Nola). He was a fellow pupil with Domenico Auria. He participated in the sculptura ...

and

Giovanni Domenico D'Auria Domenico Auria (active 16th century) was an Italian architect and sculptor of the Renaissance period, active in Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of C ...

. The church was elevated to the status of basilica in 1911 but then suffered damage during the bombing of World War II. It is now rarely opened to the public.comune of Naples
announcement about opening for visits.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Giacomo degli Spagnoli Naples Basilica churches in Naples Renaissance architecture in Naples 16th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Roman Catholic churches completed in 1540