San Domenico Maggiore is a Gothic, Roman Catholic church and monastery, founded by the friars of the Dominican Order, and located in the square of the same name in the historic center of Naples.
History The square is bordered by a street/alleyway popularly called "Spaccanapoli" (presently labeled via Benedetto Croce at this particular section of its considerable length) in the historic center of Naples. It was one of the three main east–west streets of the original Greek city of Neapolis. To the east along Spaccanapoli, one reaches in a few blocks the Piazza of Gesu Nuovo and Santa Chiara. The Church of San Domenico Maggiore incorporates a smaller, original church built on this site in the 10th century, San Michele Arcangelo a Morfisa. Charles II of Naples began the rebuilding that produced the Gotico Angioino structure that comprises the present church. The work was done between 1283 and 1324, but the church has undergone modifications over the centuries, including one in 1670 that recast some of the decoration in a Baroque style. In the 19th century, however, the church was restored to its original Gothic design. The monastery annexed to the church has been the home of prominent names in the history of religion and philosophy. It was the original seat of the University of Naples, where Thomas Aquinas, a former member of the Dominican community there, returned to teach theology in 1272. Sacristan Domenic of Caserta claimed to have seen Aquinas levitating in prayer with tears before an icon of the crucified Christ in the Chapel of Saint Nicholas after Matins on December 6, 1273. Domenic reported that Christ said to Thomas, "You have written well of me, Thomas. What reward would you have for your labor?" and Thomas responded, "Nothing but you Lord." The philosopher friar and heretic, Giordano Bruno, also lived here at some point. In the center of the square is an obelisk— one of three "plague columns" in Naples— topped by a statue of Saint Dominic, founder of the Dominican Order, erected after the plague of 1656. The original designer of the spire was the Neapolitan architect Cosimo Fanzago. Construction on the spire was started after the plague of 1656 and was finally finished in 1737 under Charles III, the first Bourbon monarch of Naples. Artistically, the most notable feature are the frescoes by Pietro Cavallini in the Brancaccio Chapel (1309), depicting Stories of St. John the Evangelist, Crucifixion, Stories of Magdalene and the Apostles Peter, Paul and Andrew. The sacristy houses a series of 45 sepulchres of members of the royal Aragonese family, including that of King Ferdinand I. The remains of the Blessed Raymond of Capua, a former Master General of the Dominican Order, also rest there.
Burials Ferdinand I of Naples Isabella of Aragon, Duchess of Milan Ferdinand II of Naples Bishop Richard Luke Concanen, the first Catholic Bishop of New York City
Sacred Relics Chamber The "Sacred Relics Chamber", best known as "Treasure Chamber", was built in 1690 with the purpose of preserving the hearts of Charles II of Naples, Alfonso V of Aragon (Alfonso I of Naples), and Ferdinand II of Naples, as well as a series of significant objects belonging to Dominicans, all precious historical evidence lost during French occupation in the early 1800s. The chamber remained closed to the public until 2000, when it was re-opened, regaining a role as a cultural attraction in the historic centre of Naples. It is accessible through the wooden door engraved toward the second part of the 16th century, and attributed to Cosimo Fanzago. It is furnished with monumental 18th century walnut wardrobes showing a collection divided in four parts: "The Arches", "The Processions", "the Treasure" and the" Sacred ornaments", a selection of precious clothes of Aragonese monarchs, reliquary busts, sacred vestments, and relics of Dominicans. The decorations of the wardrobes doors, realized by Francesco Antonio Picchiatti, embrace the same style as the terracotta tiled floor by Donato and Giuseppe Massa, who have also worked for the Santa Chiara cloister in Naples.
Aragonese Arches The first part of the collection includes clothing and accessories of kings and noblemen removed by the arches shown in the adjacent sacristy. Toward the end of the 1980s, the clothes, which date back to a period between the 15th and 16th centuries, were taken away from the mummies in the coffins, restored, and exhibited. The culture of the 15th century is recreated by means of the damask dresses, veils and silk pillows, daggers and armor of the Aragonese family and of other members of their court. The main relics are: the ivory pillow of Ferdinand I of Naples, called Ferrante (15th century), in silk and silver, on which a black gauntlet and the well-wishing family motto "juvat" are embroidered; the goatskin pillow and part of the sheath and dagger of Ferdinand II of Naples, called Ferrandino (15th century), with leather tassels and woolen padding. On this one, still today, the signs of the fire that burnt up the church in 1506 are visible; the ochre damask dress of Isabella Sforza of Aragon, with squared neckline and long silk ribbons to keep together the sleeves with the bodice. The skirt is 103 cm long and 480 cm large, with a grapevine decoration and a pleat that used to be stuffed with wool, so as to have a shapely waistline and match the fifteenth-century ideal of feminine beauty; the ivory satin suit of Peter of Aragon, with velvet ribbons and a gold velvet hat; the brown velvet suit attributed to Fernando Francesco d'Ávalos d'Aquino (husband of the 16th century poet Vittoria Colonna); the ivory dress in taffeta and grosgrain of Maria of Aragon and the flax turban found on her head; different vestments and shoes of noble children who mainly died from the plague.
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
