Information
Landmark: Certosa di San MartinoCity: Naples
Country: Italy
Continent: Europe
Certosa di San Martino, Naples, Italy, Europe
Overview
Perched high on Naples’ Vomero Hill, the Certosa di San Martino-also known as the Charterhouse of St. Martin-is a centuries-old monastery complex with sweeping views of the city.Perched high above the city and the glittering Bay of Naples, it commands breathtaking views and stands as a striking example of Neapolitan Baroque art and architecture.Founded in the 14th century as a quiet Carthusian monastery, it now serves as the Museo Nazionale di San Martino, where visitors can see vivid paintings, worn prayer books, and relics that tell Naples’ long history.First.Founded in 1325 by Charles of Anjou, Duke of Calabria, the monastery was meant to give Carthusian monks a quiet place for prayer and solitude.In the 16th and 17th centuries, it saw major renovations, especially under Cosimo Fanzago, the famed Baroque architect and sculptor who filled it with ornate curves, gilded details, and bold stonework.Dissolved in the 19th century, it became a museum in 1866 and has stood ever since as a cultural landmark.Inside the Church of San Martino, marble inlays catch the light, gold leaf gleams along the arches, frescoes brighten the ceilings, and carved wood panels glow dark and polished.The collection includes works by artists like Jusepe de Ribera and Giovanni Lanfranco, whose paintings brim with vivid religious scenes and ornate details.Overhead, Luca Giordano’s ceiling fresco *Triumph of Judith* bursts with drama, capturing the biblical heroine in a swirl of color.The Great Cloister, or Chiostro Grande, offers deep quiet-its marble columns and shaded porticoes, designed by Fanzago, frame a calm square of light.At the center rises a marble wellhead, its pale surface cool to the touch, a quiet emblem of purity and calm.The Small Cloister, or Chiostro dei Procuratori, keeps to a plain, almost severe style that sharply contrasts with the Great Cloister’s grandeur.Once reserved for the Procurators of the Charterhouse, the Belvedere Terrace now draws locals and visitors alike with sweeping views of Naples, the glittering Gulf, and Mount Vesuvius rising in the distance; today, the former monastery houses the Museo Nazionale di San Martino, where you can wander past ornate nativity scenes like the intricate 19th‑century Presepe Cuciniello, examine ship models and antique weapons, admire Baroque wood inlays and frescoes by Ribera and Battistello Caracciolo, and finally step into gardens bursting with green leaves and bright blossoms, a quiet haven above the city.Citrus trees and sun-loving Mediterranean plants fill the air with a faint, sweet scent, capturing the region’s natural charm.The courtyards, laid out in perfect symmetry, invite a slow stroll through centuries of art and history.Before you go, check the official hours-some galleries close for special events.You can reach the Certosa by funicular to Vomero, by bus, or on foot from the neighborhood’s main square.Right next door, Castel Sant’Elmo offers more history and sweeping views over Naples.Together, the Certosa’s architecture, art, and vistas make it one of the city’s most treasured landmarks.Step inside its Baroque church, wander through the quiet cloisters, or linger over the museum’s ornate relics, and you’ll feel the sweep of Neapolitan culture and history unfolding across centuries.
