Spire of San Gennaro, Naples
The monument to San Gennaro (Saint Januarius) is the oldest obelisk in Naples. It is located in the central part of the city, in the Riario Sforza square, not far from the Naples Cathedral. The obelisk is dedicated to the martyr who is a patron saint of Naples revered by both Catholic and Orthodox Churches. In 1636, the citizens, supported by the state treasury, decided to thank Saint Januarius for his protection. The Neapolitans believed that it's owing to him that the city survived the eruption of Vesuvius. The authorship of the project belongs to Cosimo Fanzago. The solemn opening of the monument took place in 1660.
The basis of the obelisk is formed by a tetragonal column embellished with big and high volutes, architectural ornaments in the form of a spiral scroll with a circle in the middle of it. The column is crowned with a beautifully and richly decorated ionic capital with four marble angels. On top of the monument is the sculpture of San Gennaro made by Tommaso Montani is set.
The total height of the spire is 24 metres.
How to get there
The sculpture of San Gennaro is situated in the central part of Naples. The place can be reached by public transport:
- Metro: 2nd line, Cavour station, and 1st line, Museo.
- Buses: №147, 201, 184, 182, 202 (Duomo-cattedrale stop).
