Built by Jesuits in 1470, this church transformed Palazzo Sanseverino, the palace of the Prince of Salerno. Its striking facade in the rare technique bugnato a punta di diamante (ashlar work) was preserved from the palazzo's original facade, while a baroque portal was created to englobe the original Renaissance portal. The church's interior is majestic, featuring stucco, frescoes, and marble decorations by some of Naples's best artists from the 16th century to the beginning of the 19th. Among the masterpieces are the impressive fresco by Francesco Solimena depicting the Expulsion of Eliodorus from the Temple, and the rich decorations in the left transept, including a beautiful altar and statues of Jeremiah and David by Cosimo Fanzago. On the piazza outside the church, you'll find one of Naples's several baroque spires, the Guglia dell'Immacolata, a tall pile of statues and reliefs. Typically Neapolitan, this kind of religious monument is modeled after processional objects -- part float, part conglomeration of statues and figures -- built for religious celebrations from baroque times until the 1950s. This particular spire was created in 1750 by Matteo Bottighero and Francesco Pagano to celebrate one of the major points of the Jesuits' teachings; it depicts Jesuit saints and the story of Mary.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Amalfi Coast, 2nd Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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