Chiesa Santa Maria delle Anime Purgatorio Ad Arco

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  • Address
    Via dei Tribunali 39, Spaccanapoli
  • Show map Close map
  • Phone
    29 26 22
  • Transport
    bus: CS to Via Duomo
  • Mon-Sat 09:00 - 14:00

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Lonely Planet review

Guarded by three bronze skulls, this 17th-century church is macabre. Inside, two winged skulls adorn either side of the main altar. Built by a congregation dedicated to praying for souls in purgatory, the church became a centre for the Neapolitan cult of the dead which, although officially banned, is said to be far from extinct. Cult practices included lavishing care and gifts on a skull as a means of keeping in touch with an absent loved one.

Below the church in the hypogeum (currently closed) you can still see a dusty hoard of skulls and bones.

On a lighter note, the church boasts some fine paintings by Massimo Stanzione and Luca Giordano.