Frescoes and stuccoes of the chapels

Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Pizzofalcone

Frescoes and stuccoes to be saved.

The Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Pizzofalcone, situated in the heart of the ancient quarter of Monte di Dio in Naples, is one of the jewels of the city’s religious and artistic heritage, deeply rooted in its urban and spiritual history, representing for the local population a religious, cultural and identity-defining point of reference.

Within the basilica are numerous works of art of great value; the very architecture of the church, with its Latin-cross plan and its elegantly frescoed dome, is a work of art in itself, a witness to the Neapolitan Baroque school.

In recent years, the vibrations caused by earthquakes and by the works beneath the hill of Pizzofalcone, combined with the wear of time, have caused some superficial cracks in the basilica’s stuccoes and frescoes.

It should nevertheless be stressed that this damage has not compromised the stability of the building, which remains safe and accessible.

These problems have, however, drawn the attention of the parish priest, the institutions and the citizens to the need for restoration interventions, in order to preserve a heritage that is not only artistic, but also spiritual and a matter of identity.

The intervention by Friends of Naples focuses on the first two chapels on the left upon entering, in particular those known as the chapel “of the Angel” and of the “Immaculate Conception”.

The intervention, carried out by qualified restorers under the supervision of the Soprintendenza, is centred on the restoration of the architectural and decorative elements and of the painted surfaces.