Despite being located in the historical center of Naples, the Santi Marcellino e Festo Church is characterized by its quiet secludedness. The church was founded by uniting two monasteries and is extremely opulently decorated. It has been deconsecrated and is only used on special occasions.
Santi Marcellino e Festo Church Naples
Useful information
Address: Largo Marcellino, 10 – Napoli. Phone: (+39) 081 2537395 or 081 2535706. Opening times: The church is only open on request or when special events take place. Museum: From Monday to Friday from 09.00 till 13.00; Monday and Thursday also from 14.30 till 16.50. Ticket price: Free. the entrance to the church is through the San Marcellino Cloister. Public transportation: Metro: Universita (line 1); Bus: R2, 202, 460, E1, N1, N3 o N8 (stop: Umberto I).
History and description
The Chiesa di Santi Marcellino e Festo was founded by uniting two 7th century monasteries in one complex.
In 1808, the monastery was banned. In the early 20th century, its buildings came to be used by the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II. In 1932, the Paleontology Museum was hosted here. This museum had a collection of more than 50,000 objects.
What to see
The colorful marble decorations were designed by Luigi Vanvitelli.
The statues near the altar were the work of Vaccaro.
There are paintings by Simonelli, Corenzio and Stanzione.
The cloister is graced with a fountain decorated with dolphins. The pillars of the portico support a terrace that looks out over the sea.