A well-known song of the classic Neapolitan tradition mentions the Monastery of Santa Chiara, as a symbol of that Naples ancient object of melancholy on the part of the author of the text, because it is far from his native land. And certainly the Monastery of Santa Chiara is a complex not to be forgotten so easily: the structure overlooks the historic center and is the usual destination for tourists and art lovers.
It was built between 1310 and 1328 at the behest of king Robert of Anjou and his wife Sancia Maiorca who, being strongly devoted to San Francesco and Santa Chiara, decided to build the large complex to house the Poor Clares and the Friars Minor: for this reason the Monastery was built with a "double" structure approved by the papal council in 1317. The current composition of the internal structure of the church takes up the original Gothic forms, with a large spire facade that houses the ancient pierced rose window and the pronaos of the pointed arches and the whole with a single nave from which there are ten chapels on each side. Just behind the altar is the Poor Clare's Choir, consisting of only three naves. Looking at one of the walls it is possible to see fragments of a fresco depicting the Crucifixion by the Master Giotto.
The first changes to the Church took place in 1742 by thearchitect Vaccaro: the internal coatings took on baroque tones, giving space to polychrome marbles, stuccos and decorated frames. During the Second World War, the church came destroyed by a bombing plane and reopened only ten years later, exactly on August 4th, 1953.
The real peculiarity of the complex is the Maiolicato Cloister: it is made up of 66 pointed arches resting on 66 piperno pillars and is the only part that has remained unchanged over time, while the garden has also been modified by Vaccaro who created two avenues that, crossing each other, divide the garden into four sectors. The decorations of the majolica are due to the craftsmen Donato and Giuseppe Massa, which have harmonized the polychromy of the Cloister, between architectural and natural elements. The majolica gives space to representations of saints, allegories and scenes from the Old Testament.
If you are in these parts, last the Christmas time, do not miss the opportunity to visit the Monastery of Santa Chiara: inside you can also admire the Nativity scene from the early 700th century in Naples, with handcrafted statuettes of the time. In addition, on 2 and 3 December the complex will be the frame of the Naples Wine Time: a journey dedicated to the discovery of local and foreign wine traditions, with access to the monumental complex. The cost of the ticket is only 10 euro.
It is possible to visit the Church every day from 7.30 to 13 and from 16.30 to 20; the Monumental Complex is available for visits on weekdays from 9:30 to 17:30, while for holidays from 10:30 to 14:30. The cost of the full ticket is 6 €, reduced to € 3,50 for students under the age of 30, over 65 and teachers.
