The Sacro Monte di Pietà Complex, founded in the early 16th century, was one of the first public banks in Naples. It is now the headquarters of the Banca di Napoli. The chapel inside the complex houses artworks by, a.o. Fabrizio Santafede and Cosimo Fanzago.
Monte di Pietà Chapel Naples
Useful information
Address: Via San Biagio dei Librai, 114 – Napoli. Phone: . Opening times: Saturdays from 10:00 till 18:00 and Sundays from 10:00 till 14:00. Ticket price: Free.
History and description
The original Monte di Pietà was founded with the aim of giving out non-profit loans. These aims are clearly stated in the inscription of the facade of the building.
The building itself was designed by the Roman architect Giovan Battista Cavagna.
The sculptures on the facade also refer to the aims of the institution. Michelangelo Naccherino sculpted the Pietà in 1601 and Pietro Bernini the Sicurtà e Carità in the same year.
The building consists of a single nave.
What to see
The frescoes, arranged in gilded stucco frames, were painted by masters such as Belisario Corenzio (the vault), Luigi Rodriguez and Battistello Caracciolo.
Girolamo Imparato painted the “Resurrection”, which was however completed by Fabrizio Santafede.
Ippolito Borghese was responsible for the “Assumption”.
Giuseppe Bonito painted the vault of the sacrity. The Tomb of Cardinal Ottavio Acquaviva in the same space was the work of Cosimo Fanzago.