The church of Santa Caterina da Siena is located in the city center of

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 Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

, and while built in the 16th century, the interior was decorated by

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

era artists over the next two centuries.

History

The church building was commissioned in the 1570s by

Don John of Austria John of Austria ( es, Juan, link=no, german: Johann; 24 February 1547 – 1 October 1578) was the natural son born to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V late in life when he was a widower. Charles V met his son only once, recognizing him in a secret ...

, the victorious admiral during the

Battle of Lepanto The Battle of Lepanto was a naval engagement that took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic states (comprising Spain and its Italian territories, several independent Italian states, and the Soverei ...

. It was attached to a nearby hospital of Santa Maria della Vittoria, then later to the hospital of San Giacomo. In 1613, the church was transferred to the

Dominican Order The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of Cal ...

, who established a nearby cloistered monastery. At present, the church is owned by the

Archdiocese of Naples The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Naples ( it, Arcidiocesi di Napoli; la, Archidioecesis Neapolitana) is a Roman Catholic Archdiocese in southern Italy, the see being in Naples. A Christian community was founded there in the 1st century AD and ...

who lets a private non-profit music Foundation, the Centro di Musica Antica Pietà de' Turchini, founded in 1997 to highlight performances and research of Neapolitan 16th-18th century musical and theatrical works.

Description

The interior contains a holy water font attributed to the studio of

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 1760, the floor was decorated in

maiolica Maiolica is tin-glazed pottery decorated in colours on a white background. Italian maiolica dating from the Renaissance period is the most renowned. When depicting historical and mythical scenes, these works were known as ''istoriato'' wares ( ...

tiles. In 1766, the ceiling was frescoed by Vincenzo Diano with the ''Glorification of the Church'' (1784). The nave ceiling was painted by

Fedele Fischetti Fedele Fischetti (30 March 1732 – 25 January 1792) was an Italian painter of the Neoclassical period. He was born and died in Naples the capital of the Kingdom of Naples. Biography F. Fischetti was mainly active as a fresco painter for pa ...

, depicting a ''Glory of Saint Catherine'', and in the tribune, ''God the Father and the Evangelists'', and in the lunettes above the altar, the ''Cardinal and Theologic virtues''. The main altarpiece depicts the ''Mystical Marriage of St Catherine'' by

Lorenzo De Caro Lorenzo de Caro (baptised 29 May 1719 – 2 December 1777) was an Italian painter, active in the late Baroque style in his native city of Naples. Biography Decaro's biographical information is sparse, and many canvases refer to painter of Neapol ...

. There are a number of chapels. The first chapel on the right has an altarpiece depicting ''St Augustine'' by

Francesco De Mura Francesco de Mura (21 April 1696 – 19 August 1782) was an Italian painter of the late- Baroque period, active mainly in Naples and Turin. His late work reflects the style of neoclassicism. Life Francesco de Mura, also referred to as ''Fran ...

. The second chapel on the right has an altarpiece depicting Calvary (1782) by Giacinto Diana. The third chapel on the right has frescoes by Fedele Fischetti, as well as an altarpiece depicting the ''Circumcision of Christ''. The first chapel on the left has canvases by Fischetti, including the '' Virgin, Magadalen, and St Catherine Hold a Drape for the Miracle of the Painting of Soriano'' and a ''Noli me tangere''. The second chapel on the left has an altarpiece depicting a ''Madonna del Rosario'' by De Mura.Official site of the Centro di Musica Antica Pietà de' Turchini

References

17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Former churches in Naples Baroque architecture in Naples {{Italy-church-stub

History

Description

See also

References