Santa Maria di Portosalvo, Naples

Santa Maria di Portosalvo or Santa Maria fuori le mura is a former Roman Catholic church in Naples, Italy. It is sited on via Alcide De Gasperi, at the start of via Marina, near the harbour and outside the city walls.

Facade

It was founded by the sailor Bernardino Belladonna, who had escaped a shipwreck and wished to set up a lay congregation with a chapel, consisting of himself and other sailors and shipowners. On 31 May 1554 the cardinal gave him permission to do so and on 1 June Belladonna, Nardo Calvanico, Annibale De Pronillo and brother Albano were elected governors of the congregation. The site they chose for their chapel was originally a narrow peninsula outside Porta di Massa. A few months later work started on the congregation's chapel, which lasted until 1564. The building was then decorated between 1564 and 1565 at the cost of 150 ducats - one master Battista built a spiral staircase in the choir.