Santa Maria delle Grazie is a Roman Catholic church located on Via Toledo, near its intersection with Via Diaz Armando, in central Naples, Italy. facade

History

The church was built in 1628 by the

Theatine Order The Theatines officially named the Congregation of Clerics Regular ( la, Ordo Clericorum Regularium), abreviated CR, is a Catholic order of clerics regular of Pontifical Right for men founded by Archbishop Gian Pietro Carafa in Sept. 14, 1524. I ...

, and initially dedicated to the Virgin of Loreto. In 1721 there was a partial reconstruction. In 1806, the Theatines were suppressed and it acquired secular use. In 1835, the church was attached to the ''Confraternita dei sette dolori'' (Confraternity of seven pains), whose original home was the Basilica church of San Francesco di Paola. The reconstruction of the church in the time of

Ferdinand II of Two Sicilies Ferdinand II ( it, Ferdinando Carlo; scn, Ferdinannu Carlu; nap, Ferdinando Carlo; 12 January 1810 – 22 May 1859) was King of the Two Sicilies from 1830 until his death in 1859. Family Ferdinand was born in Palermo to King Francis I of the T ...

was designed by Carlo Parascaldo. The main altar (1759) was completed by

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 ...

based on designs by Michelangelo Porzio. Beside the altar are two statues by

Tito Angelini Tito Angelini (1806–1878) was an Italian sculptor and leader of the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples, where he was born and died. Biography Fountain of the River Amenano in the Piazza del Duomo, Catania His father, Costanzo Angelini, born ...

, representing ''Faith'' and ''Hope''. Adding to the Neoclassic decor are paintings of ''San Gennaro'' by Tommaso de Vivo, ''San Gaetano'' by

Camillo Guerra Camillo Guerra (Naples 21 May 1797 – 10 March 1874 Naples) was an Italian painter, active mainly in Naples, Italy. Biography Born to a family of artists; his father, however, led a crew performing excavations at Pompei. Initially his father ...

, and a ''Guardian Angel'' by Gennaro Maldarelli. The church in 2009, was reopened to public despite ongoing restorations. Image:Interno Grazie a Toledo.JPG, Interior File:Decorazioni Grazie a Toledo.JPG, Detail of Interior

Bibliography

*Antonio Terraciano, Andrea Russo, ''Le chiese di Napoli. Censimento e brevi recensioni delle 448 chiese storiche della città di Napoli'', Lorenzo Giunta Editor, 1999. {{DEFAULTSORT:Maria Grazie a Toledo Naples Roman Catholic churches in Naples Baroque architecture in Naples 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Quartieri Spagnoli