Certosa di San Martino
Former Carthusian monastery on the Vomero, turned into a museum in 1866, with a Baroque church, cloisters, a nativity scene section and panoramic views over Naples.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Certosa di San Martino stands on the Vomero hill, next to Castel Sant’Elmo. It was founded in 1325 by Charles of Calabria, son of King Robert of Anjou. The original design was entrusted to the Sienese architect and sculptor Tino di Camaino; today only the great underground chambers remain from the Gothic phase.
Between the 16th and 18th centuries the monastery took on its present appearance. Cosimo Fanzago played a decisive role: from 1623 to 1656 he worked on the rooms with rich Baroque decorations. Numerous painters and sculptors also worked here, including Giovanni Lanfranco, Jusepe de Ribera, Luca Giordano and Giuseppe Sammartino.
In 1866, after the suppression of the religious orders, the complex was turned into a museum at the wish of Giuseppe Fiorelli, and it opened to the public in 1867. The route includes the church, the cloisters, the Quarto del Priore and the gardens, as well as sections devoted to the Neapolitan nativity scene (presepe), naval history, images and memories of the city, nineteenth-century Naples and theatre.
Highlights
- Baroque church with Fanzago’s marble floor
- Chiostro Grande with the monks’ cemetery
- Nativity section with the Cuciniello presepe
- Tavola Strozzi, view of 15th-century Naples
- Cona dei Lani, terracotta ensemble of 1517
- Belvedere terrace over the city and the bay
Permanent exhibitions
- Sezione presepiale – The largest public collection in Italy devoted to the Neapolitan nativity scene, with the large Cuciniello presepe.
- Immagini e memorie della città e del Regno – Route through the evolution of Naples from the Renaissance, with the Tavola Strozzi.
- Sezione navale – Royal lances, models and objects documenting the maritime history of the Kingdom of Naples.
- Founded
- 1866
- Operated by
- Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Campania (Ministero della Cultura)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2Visitors aged 18 to 25 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission under 18 and for those entitled to it. |
| Groups | –Groups, with or without a guide, of maximum 25 people; no booking is required, and groups enter 10 minutes apart. |
Tickets are bought on site, on the Musei Italiani portal or with the Musei Italiani app. Online purchase assistance: +39 06 87570182 (every day 9:00–17:30).
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum reports an assistance service for people with disabilities; for details, please refer to the museum’s information. Only guide dogs for blind people are admitted.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Café
Café in the complex.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| Good to know | The whisper system is recommended for groups. Animals are not admitted, except guide dogs for blind people. |
