Church of San Domenico Maggiore, a Baroque gem

About this activity

The Church of San Domenico Maggiore has always been a must-see stop for thousands of tourists in the beautiful city of Naples. It is located in the square of the same name dedicated to San Domenico Maggiore, one of the focal points of the historic center of Naples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since its construction, completed in 1324, the church has always been a pillar of Naples' history: the tomb of numerous Aragonese rulers, the home of St. Thomas Aquinas and the former seat of the prestigious University of Naples, the Church of San Domenico Maggiore is a must-see on your Naples city itinerary.

History of the Church of San Domenico Maggiore

The Church of San Domenico Maggiore was built beginning in 1283 at the behest of King Charles II of Anjou, said the Gimp, who, however, did not see the completion of the work in time, which was completed in 1324. From early on it became the home of the Dominican order of friars in the kingdom of Naples, hosting in the adjacent convent none other than St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church, who conducted his philosophical and theological studies in Naples.

The Church of San Domenico Maggiore also became the pantheon of the Aragonese nobility: inside the Sacristy of the Church of San Domenico Maggiore there are in fact about 40 coffins of nobles and royals associated with the family of Aragon, and the sarcophagi containing almost the entire Aragonese dynasty that ruled Naples in the 1400s are commonly called the Aragonese Arches. Notable among the various rulers buried there are Alfonso V of Aragon known as the Magnanimous, Ferdinand I of Aragon King of Naples, and Ferdinand II of Aragon.

Following earthquakes and fires that severely damaged the building, restoration work took place starting in the second half of the 15th century that gradually brought the Church of San Domenico Maggiore to the Baroque style desired by Tommaso Ruffo in 1670 and that we can still admire today.

Curiosities about the Church of San Domenico Maggiore

• In the sacristy that still houses the coffins of the Aragonese nobility, the hearts of Charles I of Anjou, Alfonso I, Ferdinand I and Ferdinand II were kept in silver urns. Unfortunately, however, traces of them were lost in the early 19th century, at the time of the short-lived Napoleonic reign of Naples.
• The Church of San Domenico Maggiore presents a peculiarity: from the Piazza di San Domenico Maggiore one enters the interior of the church through the apse and not through the main facade, whose entrance gives onto the courtyard of the convent of the Dominican friars.
• In addition to the many works displayed in the chapels on either side of the aisles, the Church of San Domenico Maggiore also housed the Flagellation by Caravaggio and theAnnunciation by Titian, which can be visited today at the Capodimonte Museum, and the Our Lady of the Fish by Raphael, on display at the Prado Museum in Madrid.