Basilica of San Francesco di Paola in Naples

The Basilica of San Francesco di Paola in Naples has a very curious history: it fulfills a prophecy made by Saint Francis of Paola while he was still alive. The Calabrian saint, when he was a guest at the convent of San Giovanni a Lampades, which occupied much of the space where the basilica now stands, reportedly foretold to Ferrante d'Aragona, a full 4 centuries in advance, that a church would one day be built in that place and that the area, which was overlooked by many convents and monasteries, would become the largest and most important in the city: today, in fact, Piazza del Plebiscito is located here.

And precisely 4 centuries later, in 1816, King Ferdinand I commissioned the construction of the imposing basilica to atone for the vow made to Saint Francis of Paola.

The space dedicated to the construction of the Basilica was behind the semicircular colonnade erected by Gioacchino Murat in 1809, a very prominent structure, consisting of forty-eight columns of puteolana stone, which was to bear the name of the French king. The winner of the competition, architect Pietro Bianchi, was given some restrictions: the church had to be built between the Guesthouse palace of the nearby royal palace and that of the Prince of Salerno, and it could not be taller than the Royal Palace, which is located just opposite.

The construction of this structure began in 1816 and was completed in 1846; it was in a Neoclassical style and visibly inspired by the Pantheon of Rome. The basilica has a circular plan with small lateral chapels. In the center is a rotunda with a diameter of 34 meters corresponding to the dome, which is 53 meters high, supported by 34 columns and an equal number of marble pillars.

Even the confessionals and the main altar, designed by Francesco Fuga in 1751, are made of marble with inlays of lapis lazuli and hard stones. Above the colonnade opens the tribune designated for the royal family, covered by a canopy supported by four golden wooden angels. The marble floor, designed by Bianchi, follows an intricate geometric pattern.

The church is adorned with statues of saints placed along the walls and paintings by authors mostly from the 19th century. On the wall of the apse is a large canvas by Vincenzo Camuccini depicting St. Francis of Paola resurrecting the young Alexander.

The facade is imposing and austere, featuring a prominent pronaos with six columns topped by a triangular pediment, where on the sides are statues of Saint Ferdinand and Saint Francis, and in the center, one that represents Religion. Pope Gregory XVI made this church independent from the Curia of Naples, granting it the privilege of holding masses with the altar facing the congregation.

Between 1808 and 1815, to make this open stage even more appealing, King Gioacchino Murat abolished the various convents, ordering instead the construction of the Salerno palace and the Guesthouse palace, the current prefecture.

But Murat's intentions did not stop there: he planned to transform the square into a large amphitheater whose steps were to be carved into the hill of Pizzofalcone. His first move was to have a semicircular colonnade built to enclose the amphitheater, which he had already named Foro Murat.

But when the French regime ended and Ferdinand of Bourbon returned to the throne, the Foro Murat was no longer discussed.

It is rather well-known the "game" that the Neapolitans make tourists play when visiting the square. The tourist must be blindfolded and manage to cross the square in a straight line, starting from Royal Palace until traversing the space between the two large statues placed not far from the Palace.

The slight incline of the square's surface will cause the blindfolded person to veer off course, preventing them from continuing straight and crossing between the two statues. When the person opens their eyes, they will be quite surprised at how much they have changed their initial trajectory. You should try it too!

Piazza del Plebiscito and the Royal Palace are located in the center of Naples, making them a necessary stop along all city tours. **Those arriving from the Central Station should take Bus R2 **(stop San Carlo). Those coming from Capodichino should take the Alibus and get off at Piazza Municipio. The Royal Palace is just a few hundred meters away.