The Certosa di San Martino in Naples

The Certosa di San Martino rises in the enchanting and dreamy setting of the San Martino overlook.

It is one of the most beloved places by Neapolitans who come up here to embrace the view of Naples and the entire bay in a single glance. If you are looking for information about the Museum of the Certosa, visit the page Museum of San Martino.

This wonderful structure was built by Tino di Camaino and Attanasio Primario according to the architectural principles of the Carthusian Order.

Only the splendid and evocative Gothic underground remains from the original work, as the Certosa underwent a significant change between the late 16th and early 18th centuries.

The current appearance of the Certosa is due to the work of three architects: Giovanni Antonio Dosio (1581), who softened the rigid Gothic image giving it an elegant Renaissance style, Cosimo Fanzago (1623), the creator of the exquisite Baroque attire, and Nicola Tagliacozzi (1723), who managed to synthesize in his work the architecture, painting, and sculpture distinctive of Rococo taste.

Over time, many renowned artists worked for the Carthusian monks: among the painters were Ribera, Battistello Caracciolo, Lanfranco, Luca Giordano; among the sculptors were Giuseppe Sanmartino and Domenico Vaccaro.

Built in 1325 at the behest of Charles of Anjou, Duke of Calabria, it immediately underwent profound changes until, in the second half of the 19th century, the Certosa became the Italian National Museum.

An excellent restoration has given us the current arrangement of the Certosa, which maintains the correct perception of the religious site and the ancient space in a museum path that alternates testimonies of Naples' history and the church with breathtaking panoramas viewable from loggias, overlooks, and gardens.

In these changes, fortunately, the Certosa di San Martino has enriched its prestigious and valuable artistic, historical, and architectural heritage made of marbles, stuccos, sculptures, exquisite furnishings, frescoes, and paintings.

In the large courtyard, one immediately sees the external facade of the church, a sort of chest of 17th and 18th-century Neapolitan painting and sculpture.

The chapels on the sides of the nave are covered with splendid marble inlays, particularly precious in the chapel by Cosimo Fanzago, dedicated to Saint Bruno, the promoter of the Carthusian Order.

The ceiling, which retains its original 14th-century structure, was painted by Giovanni Lanfranco (1637-40) who magnificently rendered the Ascension of Christ in a burst of golden light.

In 1754 in the chapel of Saint Martin, Giuseppe Sanmartino created the Fortress, Charity, and the four groups of cherubs, which represent, with all their splendor, the rare qualities of an exceptional master.

A lively balustrade of marble, precious stones, and gilded bronze from 1761 precedes the presbytery area.

The high altar from 1705, never definitively completed, is of gilded wood and painted as if it were marble. In the choir, the large canvases on the walls are by the most important artists of the 16th century: Guido Reni, Jusepe de Ribera, Battistello Caracciolo, and Massimo Stanzione.

The walnut cabinets (1587-1600) of the monumental sacristy are covered with wooden inlays by Flemish and Neapolitan artists.

The Chapel of the Treasury contains true masterpieces such as Ribera's Pietà (1637) on the altar, and in the ceiling the Triumph of Judith by Luca Giordano (1704).

The Certosa di San Martino has two cloisters: the Great Cloister and the Cloister of the Procurators.

The Great Cloister was built on the same plan as the 14th-century one.

The cells of the Carthusian monks, arranged around the cloister, enjoyed a spectacular view of the Gulf of Naples.

Integrated into the cloister is the cemetery of the Carthusians with a Baroque balustrade decorated with skulls and bones.

The Cloister of the Procurators is surrounded by arches in piperno and white marble, with a well decorated in the center.

On the walls of the cloister are placed historical inscriptions, sculptures, and coats of arms removed from buildings and streets in Naples during the period of Urban Renewal.