Once a baroque place of prayer, this is now a repository for religious paintings, triptychs and sculptures, many from defunct churches. Notable works include Luca Giordano's final canvases (either side of the main altar), Paolo de Matteis' St Sebastian Healed by St Irene, and a young Francesco Solimena's fresco The Miracle of the Roses of St Francis, in the Coro delle Monache (Nuns' Choir). Accessed from the museum, the Gothic Chiesa di Donnaregina Vecchia houses Naples' largest cycle of 14th-century frescoes.
Attributed to various artists, including Pietro Cavallini and Filippo Rusuti, the frescoes line the walls of Donnaregina Vecchia's Nuns' Choir. Particularly striking are the Technicolor scenes depicting the martyrdom of St Ursula along the back wall. If you can peel your eyes off, look up to appreciate Pietro Belverte's early-16th-century coffered ceiling. Downstairs, a small, marble-clad cloister offers a clear view of Donnaregina Vecchia's original Gothic facade, while back inside the church, the austere Gothic nave is home to the mosaicked tomb of Mary of Hungary (c 1257–1323), a 14th-century masterpiece attributed to Tino di Camaino and Gagliardo Primario. Directly opposite the tomb, the Cappella Loffredo features fragments of vivid early-14th-century frescoes, including a wince-inducing scene of St John enduring a dip in boiling oil.
Classical-music concerts are occasionally held inside Donnaregina Nuova. Check the museum website or local press for upcoming events. Concert tickets can normally be purchased directly at the venue.
