The church of St. Nicholas the Charitable (it: Chiesa di San Nicola alla Carità) is a church located on

via Toledo Via Toledo is an ancient street and one of the most important shopping thoroughfares in the city of Naples, Italy. The street is almost long and starts at Piazza Dante (Naples), Piazza Dante and ends in Piazza Trieste e Trento, near Piazza del ...

, almost midway between Piazza Carità and Piazza Dante in

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 church was founded in 1647, thanks to a donation of about 6000 ducats to the Pious Workers by a nobleman of the time, as a reward for their welfare work. The building of the church, designed by

Onofrio Antonio Gisolfi Onofrio Antonio Gisolfi (died 1656, Naples) was an Italian engineer and architect, active from 1637 until his death. Life He was born in Naples and succeeded Bartolomeo Picchiatti as chief royal engineer to the Kingdom of Naples. He worked on the ...

, was interrupted by the plague that struck the city in 1656, and was completed in 1682 by

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 ...

, who worked under the patronage of Cardinal

Diego Innico Caracciolo di Martina Diego is a Spanish masculine given name. The Portuguese equivalent is Diogo. The name also has several patronymic derivations, listed below. The etymology of Diego is disputed, with two major origin hypotheses: ''Tiago'' and ''Didacus''. E ...

. The church underwent various reconstructions. In eighteenth century the facade was rebuilt by Salvatore Gandolfo, following designs of

Francesco Solimena Francesco Solimena (4 October 1657 – 3 April 1747) was a prolific Italian painter of the Baroque era, one of an established family of painters and draughtsmen. Biography Francesco Solimena was born in Canale di Serino in the province of ...

. During the ten years of French occupation, the church was deconsecrated and it housed a Corps of Engineers. In 1843 the structure was restored by

Guglielmo Turi Guglielmo () is the Italian form of the masculine name William. It may refer to: People with the given name Guglielmo: * Guglielmo I Gonzaga (1538–1587), Duke of Mantua and Montferrat * Guglielmo Achille Cavellini (1914–1990), influential It ...

. The Church houses the bodies of the Neapolitan painter,

Bernardo Cavallino Bernardo Cavallino (1616–1656) was an Italian painter and draughtsman. He is regarded as one of the most original painters active in Naples during the first half of the 17th century.Ann Percy. "Cavallino, Bernardo." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art ...

, and father Antonio Torres, who, with the order of Piarists, distinguished themselves in service to the ill from the plague of 1656. All members of the Order of the Pious Workers died from contact with the infected, except four monks, including Father Antonio. Each year during the Christmas period, visitors can see the

Presepe In the Christianity, Christian tradition, a nativity scene (also known as a manger scene, crib, crèche ( or ), or in Italian language, Italian ''presepio'' or ''presepe'', or Bethlehem) is the special exhibition, particularly during the Christ ...

s, belonging to the church, in a room under the building.

The interior

The layout is a

Latin cross A Latin cross or ''crux immissa'' is a type of cross in which the vertical beam sticks above the crossbeam, with the three upper arms either equally long or with the vertical topmost arm shorter than the two horizontal arms, and always with a mu ...

, with three aisles, and side chapels. The nave has a series of frescoes (1696) by

, depicting in the lunettes the life of ''St. Nicholas'', ''Virtue'' and the ''Apostles''. He also painted a ''Sermon of St. Paul and St. John the Baptist'' (1697).

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 ...

painted a ''San Nicola expels Demons from a Tree'' (1712), which adorns the entrance of the church, and ''Death of St. Nicholas'' (1707), which sits behind the altar. The high altar made from polychrome marbles, arranged in 1743 by Antonio Troccola and designed by

Mario Gioffredo Mario Gaetano Gioffredo, also called the ''Neapolitan Vitruvius'' (14 May 1718 – 8 March 1785), was an Italian architect, engineer, and engraver. Biography He was born and died in Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, ...

. The dome was frescoed 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 ...

Chapels

*Left

; Chapel I Contains three works of

Paolo de Maio Paolo de Maio or Paolo de Majo (15 January 1703 – 20 April 1784) was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque or Rococo period. Biography Paolo de Maio was born in Marcianise, province of Caserta, in the region of Campania. His brother Ludovi ...

: an altarpiece depicting the ''Marriage of the Virgin and Saint Joseph'', ''St Charles Borromeo'', and ''Sant'Andrea d'Avellino'' (''St Andrew of Avellino''). ; Chapel II It is the oldest (1646) in the church, and dedicated to

St. Nicholas of Bari Saint Nicholas of Myra, ; la, Sanctus Nicolaus (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (; modern-day Demre ...

. It contains a 17th-century altarpiece, ''St Nicholas of Bari, Bishop of Myra'', a cycle of frescoes by

Nicola Maria Rossi Nicola Maria Rossi, also known as Nicolò Maria (Naples, 1690 – Naples, 23 April 1758) was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque. Biography At the age of 15 years, he had begun studying a classic education, but after a fireworks injury damage ...

depicting the ''Eternal Father'', three paintings on the ''Miracles of St. Nicholas'' by

and Rossi; and frescoes on dome (1729) by De Mura. ; Chapel III Dedicated to the guardian angel, depicted in the altarpiece of

Giovan Battista Lama '' Lot and his daughters'' Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Agen Giovanni Battista Lama (1673–1748) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Naples. He primarily painted historical canvases. Along with Paolo de Matteis, he was p ...

(a pupil of Giordano), the chapel hosts two paintings by

Pietro Bardellino Pietro Bardellino (1728–1806) was an Italian painter. He lived his life aiming to be the ‘perfect man’. Biography Bardellino was born in Naples, and was initially trained by Francesco de Mura. In 1773 he became director of the ''Accademia Na ...

:'' St. Francis of Paola '' and'' Apollonia''. *Right SanNicolaCaritàNaples9

; Chapel I On the altar is ''Trinity'' by

, while side walls have two paintings by

Giacinto Diano Giacinto Diano or Diana (28 March 1731 – 13 August 1803) was an Italian painter, active in Southern Italy in a style that mixes Rococo and Neoclassicism. Life Giacinto was born in Pozzuoli, and died in Naples. He trained in the studio of France ...

(pupil of De Mura) depicting the ''Departure'' and ''Arrival of Tobias''. This chapel also houses the seventeenth-century bust of

Carlo Carafa Carlo Carafa (29 March 1517 – 6 March 1561) was an Italian cardinal, and Cardinal Nephew of Pope Paul IV Carafa, whose policies he directed and whom he served as papal legate in Paris, Venice and Brussels. Early years He was born at Naples in ...

and his wax death mask. ; Chapel II The chapel is called "the crucifix" because it houses a wooden cross, by Nicola Fumo, from the end of the seventeenth century. There are two paintings on the side walls by Leonardo Pozzolano (pupil of Solimena), depicting ''Santa Maria Maddalena'' and ''San Giovanni Evangelista''. ; Chapel III The chapel, originally dedicated to St. Michael. The altarpiece, by De Mura, was rededicated to Saint Liborio in 1773. The two side canvasses, also by De Mura depict ''St. Michael Archangel'' and ''Archangel Raphael''. *Transept A cycle of frescoes by D'Alessio Elia decorates the transept. The canvas on the left side of the altar, by Solimena, depicts the ''Virgin between St. Peter and Paul'' (1684). The ''Visitation of the Blessed Virgin to Saint Elizabeth'' on the door of the sacristy is by De Mura, as well as the '' Adoration of Shepherds'' placed on the right side of the transept.

References

*Vincenzo Regina, ''Le chiese di Napoli. Viaggio indimenticabile attraverso la storia artistica, architettonica, letteraria, civile e spirituale della Napoli sacra'', Newton e Compton editore, Napoli 2004. *''Napoli sacra. Guida alle chiese della città'', Napoli (1993–1997)

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicola alla Carita Naples Roman Catholic churches in Naples 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Baroque architecture in Naples Church buildings with domes