CERTOSA DI SAN MARTINO

One of the city's most prominent sites. The Carthusian monastery of Saint-Martin was founded in the 14th century by the Angevin dynasty. It was profoundly remodelled between the 16th and 18th centuries and remains a formidable illustration of Neapolitan Baroque under the direction of the great architect and sculptor Cosimo Fanzago (1591-1678).

We enter through the elegant Cortile monumental, made by the Tuscan Giovanni Antonio Dosio at the end of the 16th century and dominated by the imposing mass of the Castel Sant'Elmo. At the back opens the church, which represents a true manifesto of Neapolitan painting and sculpture of the 17th and 18th centuries. Note the resplendent marbles made from a project by Dosio. The frescoes on the vault are by Giovanni Lanfranco (1637-1640) and depict theAscension of Christ. The works exhibited in the choir are by major 17th century artists such as Guido Reni and Jusepe de Ribera. The most famous painting, The Great Deposition of 1838, by Massimo Stanzione, is displayed at the level of the portal. In the Treasure Chapel, Pietà de Ribera and Triumph of Judith de Luca Giordano. There are also several cloisters, a carriage room and a panoramic view of Naples, the sea and Vesuvius from the Quarto del Priore and the gardens.

To return to the historic centre, take the pedamentina with its 414 steps. It is one of the oldest passages in the city. It goes down the hill along a charming alleyway to reach Corso Vittorio Emanuele.