Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio (Purgatorio ad Arco)
The typical Baroque style of the altar.
Walking along via dei Tribunali you will find the church of Saint Mary of the Purgatory's souls (or Purgatory of the arch). The building was completed around 1616 in the Baroque style. Here worked many of the most important sculptors of the time, like Cosimo Fanzago, and artists like Massimo Stanzione and Luca Giordano. The church is decorated with typical Baroque elements, such as skulls and funeral garlands. In Napoli there is a very deep connection between the living and the dead. It is believed that the souls of the dead protect their family and friends. That's why the church gets it name, as the followers of the church worshipped the souls of those with no known relatives, who were considered to be intermediaries between the living and the dead. That's why outside the church you can find the capuzzelle, the bronze skulls which represent those souls, which protect and give peace to the dead.
Capuzzella at the entrance of the church.
Official website: Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio
Via dei Tribunali, 39 - 80138 Napoli
Tel.: +39 081 440 438
Email: purgatorio@progettomuseo.com
Church free entry
Opening hours: Mon - Fri and Sun 10.00 - 14.00 / Sat 10.00 - 17. 00
Nearest metro station: Linea 1 - DANTE