Sant'Angelo a Nilo

Church of Sant'Angelo a Nilo
Chiesa di Sant'Angelo a Nilo
External view.
Coordinates: 40°50′54″N 14°15′20″E / 40.848326°N 14.255575°E / 40.848326; 14.255575
Location Via Mezzocannone
Naples
Province of Naples, Campania
Country Italy
Denomination Roman Catholic
History
Status Active
Architecture
Architectural type Church
Style Baroque architecture
Completed 1709
Administration
Diocese Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Naples
Interior.

Sant'Angelo a Nilo is a Roman Catholic church located on the Decumano Inferiore (Spaccanapoli street) in Naples, Italy. It stands diagonally across from San Domenico Maggiore in Naples. It is known for containing the monumental Rennaissance-style tomb of Cardinal Rainaldo Brancacci (Italian: Sepolcro del Cardinale Brancacci) by Donatello and Michelozzo, one of the major sculptural works in the city.

Description

The church is located in the core of the ancient Greek-Roman city: it takes its name from the Egyptian Nile, which was venerated here by the Egyptian merchants. It was begun in 1385 as a chapel, dedicated to Sts. Angel and Mark, by will of cardinal Rainaldo Brancacci, whose family had a palace nearby. The current appearance dates from a 1709 rebuilding, under the direction of Arcangelo Guglielmelli. Remains of the original Catalan-Gothic structure include the main portal, with an architrave featuring angels, and a fresco in the lunette with The Virgin Mary and Saints Michael and Baculus with Cardinal Brancaccio (15th century). A sculpture of St. Michael from another portal has been moved in the interior.

Artworks in the interior include the tomb of cardinal Brancaccio, canvasses from Luca Giordano school, a 16th-century altarpiece by the Sienese painter Marco Pino and a marble tabernacle in the sacristy.

Antonio Valente, the first major keyboard composer of the Neapolitan school, was organist here in 1565–80.

Sources

  • Regina, Vincenzo (2004). Le chiese di Napoli. Viaggio indimenticabile attraverso la storia artistica, architettonica, letteraria, civile e spirituale della Napoli sacra. Naples: Newton e Compton.
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