San Lorenzo Maggiore

Burrow through 2,500 years of Neapolitan history in this best of Naples' churches

* San Lorenzo Maggiore
Via Tribunali 316 (on Piazza S. Gaetano)
tel. +39-081-454-948 or +39-081-290-580
Open Tues–Sun 8am–noon and 5–7pm (scavi close Sun afternoon and Tues)
Adm for scavi

TOURS OF NAPLES:

Tours of Naples itself:
• Naples City and Pompeii Half Day Sightseeing Tour
• Naples City Hop-on Hop-off Tour
• Small Group Naples City Sightseeing Tour

Tours to Pompeii & Vesuvius:
• Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii Day Trip from Naples
• Pompeii Half-day Trip from Naples
• Naples City and Pompeii Half Day Sightseeing Tour
• Mt Vesuvius Half-Day Trip from Naples

Tours to the Amalfi Coast or Capri:
• Private tour of Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello from Naples
• Capri Day Trip with Lunch from Naples

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The greatest of Naples' layered churches was built in 1265 for Charles I over a 6th-century basilica, which lay over many ancient remains. The interior is pure Gothic, with tall pointed arches and an apse off of which radiate nine chapels.

This is where, in 1334, Boccaccio first caught sight of Robert of Anjou's daughter Maria, who became "Fiammetta" in his writings. Aside from some gorgeously baroque chapels of inlaid marbles, the highlight of the interior is Tino da Camaino's canopy tomb of Catherine of Austria (1323–25).

San Lorenzo preserves the best and most extensive (still rather paltry) remains of the ancient Greek and Roman cities currently open to the public. The foundations of the church are actually the walls of Neapolis' basilican law courts (this architectural type, the basilica, was adopted by the Paleochristians as a general blueprint for their first churches—here rather directly).

In the cloisters are excavated bits of the Roman city's treasury and marketplace. In the crypt are the rough remains of a Roman-era shop-lined street, a Greek temple, and a medieval building.

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This material was last updated January 2010. All information was accurate at the time.

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