Certosa e Museo di San Martino

Breath-taking views of Naples and its Gulf

A jewel of Baroque architecture with extraordinary views over the Gulf of Naples, surrounded by peace and tranquillity: the Charterhouse of San Martino has stood atop Vomero hill since 1325. The design of this majestic complex was entrusted to Sienese architect and sculptor Tino di Camaino, but only the basement remains of the original Gothic construction. Over the years, numerous alterations were made to the building, until the Charterhouse was transformed into a detachment of the National Museums. 

The exhibition route is divided into two levels. On the first level, you can admire the Chariot of the Elect and Cuciniello Nativity Scene, which with its 800 pieces is considered the most famous and important in all of Naples. On the second level, you will find the Gallery of the 19th Century, in which is home to no fewer than 950 paintings by the likes of Domenico Morelli and Giacinto Gigante. 

The two cloisters of the Charterhouse also deserve a mention. The Procurator’s Cloister gives access to the museum rooms and gardens. But the real wonder for visitors is the Great Cloister, with its imposing Baroque balustrade decorated with a long series of marble skulls that remind visitors of the precariousness of human life.