Our New Favourite Church in Naples

On the our last day in Naples, John and I discovered the astonishing, San Giovanni a Carbonara, situated on the north end of Via Carbonara outside the old walls of the city.

An early-Baroque double staircase by Neapolitan architect Ferdinand Sanfelice leads up to the 14th century church.

 The entrance to the church is medieval and discrete.

 On entering the church we were impressed by the magnitude of the space and the intriguing tombs and sculptural groups scattered around in it.

Directly opposite the entrance door to the church is a Renaissance Tomb 

designed by Giovan Malvito. John zeroed in on its sculpture

particularly this elegant image of Temperance.

Beside the tomb I liked this medieval altar with its damaged illustrations by an unknown Gothic artist

 telling the story of Saint Nicolas of Tolentino.

At the back of the main hall, through an arch, we glimpsed another Renaissance chapel

Cappella di Somma, with sculptures by Annibale Caccavello.

Detail from the top, right of the tomb above.

Toward the front of the church we glimpsed yet another chapel though another intriguing arch.

Within we find another Renaissance tomb.

John in the nave of the church with the Tomb of  King Ladislao of Durazzo, 1428, above the altar on the back wall.

The tomb features an equestrian image of King Ladislao of the Anjou kingdom 0f Naples.

 Crucifixion, Giorgio Varsari, 1554. It's so unusual to see Varsari's artwork.

This visitor is entering a circular chapel behind the altar, below Ladislao's monument

The Chapel of Saint Monica is filled with light and decorated with astounding Gothic wall paintings

including a Kingdom of Heaven over the doorway.

At eye level the paintings depict Augustan monks. This one confronts a devil,

What about that monk in the back? Sleeping, deceased? And what of the wild beasts?

We spent some time with these monks getting on with the tasks of the day. We felt so blessed to discover this incredibly rich church on our final day in Naples.