Museum of the Treasure of San Gennaro
The Treasure of San Gennaro is composed of art works and donations collected in seven centuries of Popes, Kings, Emperors, famous and ordinary people, kept in a museum in Naples, Italy. According to studies done by a pool of experts who have analyzed all the pieces of the collection, the Treasure of St. Gennaro would be even richer than the crown of England's Queen Elizabeth II and the Czars of Russia.[1] The Treasure is a collection of art works, kept untouched thanks to the Deputation of the Royal Chapel of the Treasure of San Gennaro, an ancient secular institution founded in 1527 by a vote of the city of Naples, still existing. Today, the donations are exhibited in the Museum, whose entrance is located on the right side of the Cathedral of Naples, under the arcades. By visiting the Museum, you can access the Royal Chapel of San Gennaro, where the two ampules containing San Gennaro's Blood are kept in the Major altar.
Museo del Tesoro di San Gennaro | |
Main entrance | |
Established | 2003 |
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Location | Via Duomo, 149 Naples Italy |
Type | archaeology |
Website | museosangennaro |
The museum was opened in December 2003 thanks to a project funded by private companies, European funds and local institutions under the patronage of the President Ciampi, on a proposal of the Deputation of the Chapel of the Treasure of San Gennaro, (established in 1601). The curator of the project was the director Paolo Jorio.
The Museum Exhibition
The museum exhibits his works in an area of 700 square meters below the Chapel of the Treasure: a series of collections of art including jewelry, statues, busts, fabrics and paintings.
Among the more interesting items are a mitre (bishop's hat) in which diamonds, ruby and emerald are embedded, and a collection of silver busts, composed of about 70 pieces made between 1305 till the modern era.
The museum includes the three sacristies and the Royal Chapel of the Treasure of San Gennaro. The museum contains restored and containing paintings and frescoes by Luca Giordano, Massimo Stanzione, Giacomo Farelli and Aniello Falcone.
Image Gallery
- Michele Dato, Necklace of St. Januarius, 1679.
- Matteo Treglia, Mitre of St. Januarius, 1713.
Filmography
- 1966 - Operazione San Gennaro directed by Dino Risi with Totò and Nino Manfredi (Italia-Francia-Germania Occidentale)
- 2003- Jesce e facci grazia created by Roberto de Simone and directed by Paolo Jorio
References
- P. Jorio, C. Paolillo, Il tesoro di Napoli. Capolavori del Museo di San Gennaro, Skira ed. 2013, p.4
Bibliography
- A. Bellucci - Memorie storiche e artistiche del Tesoro nella cattedrale dal sec. XVI al XVIII - Napoli, 1915
- F. Strazzullo - Guida del Tesoro di San Gennaro - Napoli, 1966
- F. Strazzullo - La Real Cappella del Tesoro di San Gennaro - Napoli, 1978
- P.Iorio - F.Recanatesi Museo del tesoro di San Gennaro - Gli Argenti - Napoli, 2003
- P.Iorio - F.Recanatesi Museo del tesoro di San Gennaro - I Gioielli - Napoli, 2007
- P.Iorio - F.Recanatesi Le 10 Meraviglie del Tesoro di San Gennaro - Roma, Poligrafico dello Stato 2010