The State Archives of Naples are an essential point of reference for scholars of the medieval, modern and contemporary history of Italy and Europe, in particular southern Italy. Letters from sovereigns, political treatises and ancient maps are just some of the gems that make this place a mine for scholars and history enthusiasts.
Even its location fills one with amazement. The Archive is located in the monumental complex of Saints Severino and Sossio, one of the most important and ancient centers of Benedictine spirituality in Southern Italy. The complex is decorated with Renaissance frescoes depicting episodes from the life of St. Benedict and includes four cloisters, three splendid gardens and a church. One of the cloisters, called Atrio del Platano, constitutes the oldest part of the monastery and takes its name from the tree which, according to legend, was planted by St. Benedict.
The historical documents are arranged in splendid rooms: the Chapter of the monks, today Sala Catasti, was frescoed in the early 1600s by the painter Belisario Corenzio with allegorical figures and scenes from the Gospel. The same artist frescoed the former Refectory, now Sala Filangieri, with the multiplication of the loaves and fishes and the allegory of the Benedictine Order, Then there is the Tasso room, named in honor of the poet who stayed in the monastery, which houses the precious and famous Codex of Santa Marta, a collection of coats of arms of kings, queens and nobles who were members of a prestigious brotherhood, the Collegium Disciplinatorun Sanctae Marthae.
The State Archives of Naples, in its large internal and external spaces. it also organizes cultural events of various kinds; a digital exhibition on the great artist Pablo Picasso is currently underway and will last until January 14, 2024. Thanks to virtual reality technologies, the visitor will be completely immersed in some of Picasso’s most famous works, such as "Guernica, The Woman with the Mandolin, War and Peace” and others. Finally, we would like to remind you that the State Archives of Naples are located in a historic and central area of the city of Naples, near the Duomo, and after the visit you can walk through the streets of Naples seeing other wonders and enjoying the culinary delicacies of this unique city in the world.
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