Santa Caterina a Formiello
Encyclopedia
Santa Caterina a Formiello is a church in Naples
, in southern Italy, located at the extreme eastern end of the old historic center of the city, near the gate called Porta Capuana
.
It was founded about 1510, completed in 1593, and dedicated to the virgin martyr of Alexandria
. It constituted an important part of an ancient convent that originally belonged to the Celestine
order and which passed to the Dominican
fathers after 1498. They kept it until the 19th century, when it became used as a wool factory.
The church has a single-aisle Latin cross interior covered by a barrel vault
with five chapels on either side. It houses frescoes by Luigi Garzi
from 1685 and various 16th century funeral monuments.
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, in southern Italy, located at the extreme eastern end of the old historic center of the city, near the gate called Porta Capuana
Porta Capuana
Porta Capuana is an ancient city gate in Naples, southern Italy.In spite of the name, the portal is not the ancient gateway to the decumanus maximus, the main east-west road that once led out of Roman Naples to Capua...
.
It was founded about 1510, completed in 1593, and dedicated to the virgin martyr of Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
. It constituted an important part of an ancient convent that originally belonged to the Celestine
Celestines
Celestines are a Roman Catholic monastic order, a branch of the Benedictines, founded in 1244. At the foundation of the new rule, they were called Hermits of St Damiano, or Moronites , and did not assume the appellation of Celestines until after the election of their founder to the Papacy as...
order and which passed to the Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
fathers after 1498. They kept it until the 19th century, when it became used as a wool factory.
The church has a single-aisle Latin cross interior covered by a barrel vault
Barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
with five chapels on either side. It houses frescoes by Luigi Garzi
Luigi Garzi
Luigi Garzi was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. Born in Pistoia, and died in Rome, where he was one of the main pupils of Andrea Sacchi. He is also often referred to as Ludovico Garzi. In 1680 Garzi was appointed Regent of the Congregazione dei Virtuosi al Pantheon, the papal honor...
from 1685 and various 16th century funeral monuments.