Catacombe di San Gaudioso
Basilica della Sanità
Hidden gemSacred art
The story
Beneath the basilica of the Sanità, early Christian catacombs where noble dead were portrayed with their real skull set above the painted body: death put on stage.
Access
included in the S. Gennaro ticket
The story
The Catacombs of San Gaudioso, beneath the basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità, are an early-Christian cemetery area (fourth–fifth century). They take their name from San Gaudioso, a bishop of North Africa shipwrecked at Naples, who found burial here towards the middle of the fifth century, giving rise to a place of veneration.
What to see
The underground route keeps early-Christian frescoes and mosaics. To the following centuries date the particular seventeenth-century noble burials tied to the rite of the 'scolatura' (draining): the bodies were placed to dry in niches called 'cantarelle', tended by the 'schiattamuorto' (gravedigger), and the skull was then walled into the partition above a frescoed body that depicted its identity and rank — frescoes attributed to Giovanni Balducci, who according to tradition worked there renouncing the payment in exchange for burial.
Hours and prices
€ 11 (biglietto integrato con le Catacombe di San Gennaro, valido 12 mesi); ridotto € 7
Tips
The visit is guided and starts from the basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità. The ticket also includes the Catacombs of San Gennaro, valid for twelve months: consult hours and fares on the official site. It is a place of Christian memory, to be crossed with respect; underground it is cool.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Catacombs of San Gaudioso?
An early-Christian cemetery area of the fourth–fifth century beneath the basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità, tied to San Gaudioso, an African bishop buried here in the fifth century.
What is the 'scolatura' rite visible at San Gaudioso?
A seventeenth-century funerary rite: the bodies of the nobles were dried in niches called 'cantarelle'; the skull was then walled into the partition above a frescoed body that depicted its identity and rank.
How do you visit the Catacombs of San Gaudioso?
With a guided tour from the basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità; the ticket is integrated with the Catacombs of San Gennaro. Check hours and fares on the official site.
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