The 18th-century façade of San Gennaro church, a graceful symmetry of ochres and yellows, emerges from the rich green foliage of the royal forest of Capodimonte like a golden fruit. Once you step inside, an ultramarine symphony takes over the senses. Every detail, from the porcelain stars forming an ethereal cross on the ceiling to the embroidered altar cloths and the stained glass, was conceived by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava as an ode to nature and to Neapolitan craftsmanship. ‘A contemporary intervention should blend seamlessly into centuries-old architecture,’ says French professor Sylvain Bellenger, director of the Museum and Royal Park of Capodimonte from 2015 to 2023.
It is hard to imagine now, but just a handful of years ago this church, like most of its surroundings, had been languishing in a state of utter desolation. Planned by Neapolitan architect Ferdinando Sanfelice, it was inaugurated in 1745 as a place of worship for the gardeners and workers who tended to Charles of Bourbon’s 330-acre hilltop estate. This included elaborate gardens, a thriving farm and woodlands that served as a hunting ground for the king and his court. A brief walk through the forest links the church to the residence that Charles erected in the 1730s and filled with multiple art collections, including the formidable Farnese one inherited from his mother. When the palace and its contents eventually became a state-owned museum in 1957, the grounds of the estate on which the church was built fell under a separate administration. While the museum survived, neglect transformed the grounds into a derelict landscape. The museum and its estate were reunited almost 60 years later under the helm of Prof Bellenger, one of a handful of international figures who, thanks to a revolutionary reform by the then ministry of culture, were nominated to modernise some of Italy’s most prestigious museums.
The seed of the San Gennaro project was planted during a conversation between the professor and Calatrava as they walked through the forest to examine what remained of the original 18th-
century irrigation system. It was a bright December morning in 2019 and the two had recently inaugurated an exhibition dedicated to the Spanish architect’s work. For the occasion, Calatrava had realised a series of sculptures and artefacts in collaboration with the Caselli Institute, the porcelain and ceramics academy that emanated from the famed 18th-century royal factory, across the path from San Gennaro.
By then Prof Bellenger, three years into his position, had begun transforming the grounds into a sustainable, multi-disciplinary extension of the museum that would include a gardening academy, a centre for photography, an area dedicated to musical performance and ample public spaces for the citizens and tourists alike to enjoy. ‘Giving this park back to the city unleashed extraordinary civic participation,’ he explains. As the men approached San Gennaro, the director turned to Calatrava and confessed his dream of bringing a sense of spirituality back to that abandoned church. ‘I also described my wariness,’ he adds, ‘of the Catholic symbology of agonies and martyrdoms.’ The architect, whom Bellenger describes as having a profound faith, replied that a contemporary spiritual iconography had to reflect the fundamental mission of cultural and religious institutions today: to reconnect human beings with nature. By the end of that walk, Bellenger’s dream was on its way to becoming a reality.
Today, Neapolitan craftsmanship is everywhere on display in San Gennaro. Flora-themed candlesticks and vases were created in conjunction with the Caselli Institute. The cloths for the altars, embroidered with flowers, were made at San Leucio, the still-active silk factory founded by Charles of Bourbon in 1750, while Calatrava’s stained-glass windows were realised in Vietri, south of Naples. The botanical elements are a tribute to Capodimonte’s forest and gardens, and the role they play in the cultural and social resurgence of that city. They also bear testament to Calatrava and Bellenger’s shared belief that the greatest battle of our time is the preservation of nature. As for the ultramarine hue that dominates this interior, Calatrava was inspired by the intensity of Naples’ sky and sea at night. Of all the flowerings in the years since Prof Bellenger took on his role as director of Capodimonte, the rebirth of San Gennaro, brought to life once again with mass services and music from the restored organ, is the most tender and spiritual. It is also the most symbolic.
The Church of San Gennaro, the Museum and Royal Park of Capodimonte, 16 Via Miano, 80131 Naples. For opening times, visit capodimonte.cultura.gov.it
A version of this article also appeared in the January 2025 issue of ‘The World of Interiors’. Learn about our subscription offers. Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter, and be the first to receive exclusive stories like this one, direct to your inbox
