The Santa Maria la Nova Church in Naples is the seat of the A.R.C.A. Museum. Open since December 2006, this Museum of Contemporary Religious Art focuses on art created after 1949. In addition to the church, the complex consists of a sacristy, a rectory and two cloisters.
Santa Maria La Nova Church Naples
Address, opening hours and entrance fee
Address: Piazza Santa Maria la Nova, 44 – Naples. Telephone: +39 081 552 1597. Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 09:30 to 15:00; Saturday and Sunday from 09:30 to 14:00. (These times apply to both the church and the museum). Entrance fee: The church is free, but the museum costs 5 Euros (3 Euros with discount). Public transportation: Metro L1 or bus R2.
History and Description
The Franciscan Santa Maria La Nova Church was built towards the end of the 16th century. The facade, which is in a late Renaissance style, dates from 1606.
The interior is characterized by the pronaos of the choir but also by the presence of several interesting works of art and other decorations.
Highlights are paintings by Curia, Corenzio and Imparato, and others. The main attractions, however, are the altar designed by Fanzago, and the tomb of Giovanna d’Aragon (wife of Ferdinand I).
In the smaller of the two cloisters belonging to the church, there are frescoes depicting the life of Saint James of the Marches (San Giacomo della Marca). Also on display here are several funerary monuments, one of which is said to belong to Vlad III (better known as Count Dracula).