The Complesso Monumentale di San Lorenzo Maggiore in Naples is a medieval building with a museum upstairs and an archeological excavation downstairs. The ground floor has the cloister, and a courtyard with a well featuring a fine statue of San Lorenzo.
Next to the courtyard is the Sisto V Hall, named after Pope Sixtus V. The 17th century frescoes are amazing. The hall was used as a refectory by the monks; later the Neapolitan Parliament met here.
The museum upstairs features a lot of art from various Roman periods, starting with the Graeco-Roman period up to the Renaissance.
The archeological dig downstairs is the star attraction. It dates back 2000 years and has a wide Roman road in the middle of it.
A large variety of shops lined the road, including bakeries, laundries, and the tax collector's office.
At the end of the road is a cryptoporticus--several covered rooms that are connected, providing an "indoor" shopping area. The barrel vaults have skylights to let in light and fresh air.
The excavations are quite large and we spent a good time wandering around and occasionally getting separated.
We loved seeing a good variety of things at San Lorenzo Maggiore.
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| The Cloister at San Lorenzo Maggiore |
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| The well |
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| San Lorenzo in stone |
Next to the courtyard is the Sisto V Hall, named after Pope Sixtus V. The 17th century frescoes are amazing. The hall was used as a refectory by the monks; later the Neapolitan Parliament met here.
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| Sisto V Hall |
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| Detail from ceiling (click to enlarge) |
The museum upstairs features a lot of art from various Roman periods, starting with the Graeco-Roman period up to the Renaissance.
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| Bits of Roman statues |
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| Some more bits |
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| Floor mosaic |
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| Papal medallion |
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| St. Michael and the Dragon |
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| Friar, Madonna and Child, John the Baptist? |
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| Wedding of Mary and Joseph |
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| Princely chair |
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| Bits from an altar |
The archeological dig downstairs is the star attraction. It dates back 2000 years and has a wide Roman road in the middle of it.
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| Down into the archeological area |
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| Roman road |
A large variety of shops lined the road, including bakeries, laundries, and the tax collector's office.
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| A small shop |
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| Larger shop with back rooms, probably the bakery |
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| Stairs going up |
At the end of the road is a cryptoporticus--several covered rooms that are connected, providing an "indoor" shopping area. The barrel vaults have skylights to let in light and fresh air.
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| Into the covered shopping! |
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| One of the vaults |
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| Another staircase |
The excavations are quite large and we spent a good time wandering around and occasionally getting separated.
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| The different levels of the excavation |
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| How did I get separated from the camera? |
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| The final bit |
We loved seeing a good variety of things at San Lorenzo Maggiore.
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