Chiostro di Santa Chiara
Napoli
FamousSacred art
The story
A garden of pillars clad in yellow and blue majolica, where lemon pergolas and eighteenth-century scenes painted on the tiles keep the noise of the city at bay.
Access
church FREE, cloister €
The story
The complex of Santa Chiara, in the heart of Naples, holds one of the most celebrated cloisters in Italy: the Majolica Cloister. It was transformed in 1739 by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro, who clad pillars and seats in painted majolica. Having survived the Second World War bombing that devastated the church, it is today an oasis of colour and silence.
What to see
The Majolica Cloister is the marvel: avenues lined with pillars and seats clad in riggiole (painted majolica tiles) with landscapes, scenes and plant motifs, among pergolas and citrus trees. Beside it, the cloister of San Francesco and the Museo dell'Opera tell the story of the complex and of the basilica.
Tips
Admission to the cloister and the museum is separate from that of the basilica (which is a place of worship): check hours and ticket on site. It is a corner of peace in the middle of the old centre, perfect for a break. You are opposite the Gesù Nuovo, a stone's throw from Spaccanapoli.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Majolica Cloister of Santa Chiara?
The famous cloister of the Santa Chiara complex in Naples, with pillars and seats clad in painted majolica, a 1739 work by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro.
Is admission to the cloister included in that of the basilica?
No: the cloister and the Museo dell'Opera have their own entrance and ticket, separate from the basilica of Santa Chiara.
Where is the Cloister of Santa Chiara?
In the old centre of Naples, in the Santa Chiara complex, opposite the church of the Gesù Nuovo.
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