Naples - Guglia - Piazza Gesu Nuovo

This obelisk is not a true obelisk, nor is it a plague column, it is a confectionous riot of carving that leaves most of Naples monuments dead in the water.

Designed and built in the 1750s it is possibly the finest example of Neapolitan baroque at its zenith.  Though not a plague column it certainly looks as if it has come down with a plague of cherubs. The little beasts crawl and writhe all over the thing, clambering over festoons and garlands and all manner of stone devices.

At first I thought it was hideous, however after being by it a few times it began to grow on me. In the end I decided that I wanted one for my garden.  Not sure how I will fit it in my luggage, or what the customs officers might say.

"Anything to declare?" - "Just this great wazzock of a statue thingy..." "Move along sir..."

Guglia from Via Benedetto Croce

The piazza is also delightful with sunny and shady spots a newsstand and the prerequisite cafes with indoor and outdoor seating.

Besides the Guglia the square is also home to the Chiesa dell Gesu Nuovo, the Chiesa and Monastario di Santa Chiara (with it's fantastic Majolica tile cloisters, and bell tower made up of bits of old roman temples), the Comune di Napoli, and apparently Warner Brothers Italia.

Naples - December 31, 2011 - Archaeological Museum

The archaeological museum is a must see. An absolutely unparalleled  collection of Roman artifacts, sculpture, painting and everyday household objects, silver, glassware, bronze.

Almost everything that was removed from Pompeii ended up here along with some gigantic statues from Rome as well.   There are hardly words to describe the collection.  If you travel to Naples and do not go to this museum you fail at life.

The building is quite something in and of itself. Built in the late sixteenth/early seventeenth century as a cavalry barracks, it was for a time used as part of the University of Naples.

Naples - December 31, 2012 - Santa Maria di Costantinopoli

Santa Maria di Constantinopoli 

The church of Santa Maria di Costantinopoli is yet another church in Naples  built because of a plague.  Built in the sixteenth and seventeenth century it is incredibly restrained compared to many of the baroque churches in Naples whose facades explode with riotous nightmares of decoration. 

This is down a side street across from the archaeological museum and defiantly worth stopping by. 

Naples - December 31, 2011 - Galleria Principe

Galleria Principe  looking noth

 Across from the Archaeological Museum in Naples is a smaller version of the galleria Umberto I.  Though it has a large loggia on the facade, it is sort of easy to miss the entrance unless you are looking for it.

Built on a more human scale than the Galleria Umberto and pretty empty of shops the Galleria Principe is much more intimate.  Though still inhabited by pigeons, it has recently been restored to it's former glory.

This place has so much potential, there was nothing open when we visited, however it looks like there is a cafe that might be open at some time.

There is just so much decoration, I couldn't really absorb all of the details until I got home and could really examine the pictures.

Built between 1870 and 1883 it is also older than the Umberto. Unfortunately it never had the success of the latter, possibly because of the location, possibly because it was one of the first buildings of the new Italian Nation.

Galleria Principe, looking east 

When it was built the Church of Santa Maria de Constantinople was in the way of the logical fourth arm. Thus it does seem a little truncated and this may have been art of the reason for it's dismal record.

Personally I really liked this one and was very happy that I was privileged enough to see this place.