 |
HOME > DESTINATIONS
Originally built in 1325 and redone in the 17th century, this great monastery has been restored to all its original beauty. Entering from the courtyard, you first come to the church, a masterpiece of baroque decoration, from the marble floor to the various works of art by artists such as Jusepe de Ribera (various paintings), Giuseppe Sanmartino (sculptures), and Battistello Caracciolo (frescoes). Do not overlook the marble transenna of the presbytery, decorated with precious stones (lapis lazuli and agate), and the Cappella del Tesoro, with a rich altar made of the same materials; beautiful frescoes by Luca Giordano -- including the Trionfo di Giuditta -- decorate the ceiling. You can also view the Deposizione by Jusepe de Ribera. You can then continue to the Chiostro Grande. The Quarto del Priore -- the elegant apartment used for the reception of important personalities -- contains a number of masterpieces, including a Madonna col Bambino e San Giovannino by Pietro Bernini. The monastery also houses the Museo Nazionale di San Martino, which has several sections. One of our favorites is the presepi section (or manger scenes), off the Chiostro dei Procuratori. Some of the scenes are unbelievably complex, such as the presepio Cuciniello, created in 1879 with a collection of 18th-century figures and accessories. Other sections include the Images and Memories of Naples exhibiton the first and second floors, displaying paintings, sculpture, porcelain, and precious objects, and the Collezione Rotondo, with paintings and bronze sculpures by Neapolitan artists of the 19th century. In the Gothic cellars of the monastery you will find sections dedicated to sculpture and epigraphy. On the second floor is the library that houses the Prints and Drawings Collection, with over 8,000 pieces.
Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Amalfi Coast, 2nd Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.
Naples
, Italy
Certosa e Museo Nazionale di San Martino (Carthusian Monastery and National Museum of St. Martin)
Originally built in 1325 and redone in the 17th century, this great monastery has been restored to all its original beauty. Entering from the courtyard, you first come to the church, a masterpiece of baroque decoration, from the marble floor to the various works of art by artists such as Jusepe de Ribera (various paintings), Giuseppe Sanmartino (sculptures), and Battistello Caracciolo (frescoes). Do not overlook the marble transenna of the presbytery, decorated with precious stones (lapis lazuli and agate), and the Cappella del Tesoro, with a rich altar made of the same materials; beautiful frescoes by Luca Giordano -- including the Trionfo di Giuditta -- decorate the ceiling. You can also view the Deposizione by Jusepe de Ribera. You can then continue to the Chiostro Grande. The Quarto del Priore -- the elegant apartment used for the reception of important personalities -- contains a number of masterpieces, including a Madonna col Bambino e San Giovannino by Pietro Bernini. The monastery also houses the Museo Nazionale di San Martino, which has several sections. One of our favorites is the presepi section (or manger scenes), off the Chiostro dei Procuratori. Some of the scenes are unbelievably complex, such as the presepio Cuciniello, created in 1879 with a collection of 18th-century figures and accessories. Other sections include the Images and Memories of Naples exhibiton the first and second floors, displaying paintings, sculpture, porcelain, and precious objects, and the Collezione Rotondo, with paintings and bronze sculpures by Neapolitan artists of the 19th century. In the Gothic cellars of the monastery you will find sections dedicated to sculpture and epigraphy. On the second floor is the library that houses the Prints and Drawings Collection, with over 8,000 pieces.
Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Amalfi Coast, 2nd Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.
Naples
, Italy
