Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli alle Croci

Walking up the ancient Via Veterinaria, the ascending road that climbs from the teeming historic center towards the Capodimonte hill, you come across an authentic treasure of Baroque architecture that remained hidden from the city's eyes for far too long.

Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angeli alle Croci

The Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli alle Croci (St. Mary of the Angels at the Crosses) owes its peculiar name to the numerous devotional crosses that once marked the steep path towards the nearby convent. Built at the end of the 16th century, the church underwent a radical and sumptuous reconstruction in the middle of the following century, entrusted to the absolute genius of Cosimo Fanzago.
Fanzago's genius is revealed as soon as you pause in front of the very unique facade, punctuated by imposing piperno stone columns and statues of Franciscan saints that seem to scrutinize passersby. But it is crossing the threshold that leaves you truly breathless: the single-nave interior is a miracle of harmony, refined stuccos, and works of art of inestimable value, including sublime sculptures by Fanzago himself and canvases by masters of the Neapolitan pictorial school. After years of closure and oblivion, this treasure chest has been returned to the city thanks to the tenacity of volunteers and local youth associations. Visiting Santa Maria degli Angeli alle Croci is not only an extraordinary aesthetic experience, but an act of support for a community that defends and resurrects its heritage through beauty.