Sit back and watch the hustle and bustle of daily life in the Piazza San Domenico Maggiore. One of Naples’ most attractive squares features a near-constant stream of students, tourists, street sellers and musicians all playing a part in maintaining a lively atmosphere against an impressive architectural back drop.
The square is dominated by the apse of the 13th century church with which it shares its name. First built between 1283 and 1324, the church underwent several facelifts before being restored to its original Gothic style in the 19th century. It houses several notable works of art including frescoes by Cavalli and copies of originals by renaissance master Caravaggio. You can also see the remains of a Romanesque chapel, which was the first church built on this site and dates back to the 10th century.
The centrepiece of the square is an obelisk known as Guglia di San Domenico, which was built as a show of gratitude to St Domenico who rescued the city from the great plague of 1656. A statue of the saint sits on top of the obelisk looking out towards the city as though protecting the church from any future threat. Take a look at the sides at the base of the plinth, which are decorated with Baroque reliefs.
In the 17th century, members of Naples' aristocracy chose the square to build their homes. Three sides of the square are lined with palaces. One of the best preserved and most interesting of these is the Palazzo Petrucci. It now houses a celebrated restaurant, but the original entrance and courtyard still remain.
What really sets this square apart is not just its architecture and history but rather the people who choose to come here daily to meet, sell goods or perform. There are several vintage shops to browse and bakeries offering wonderful looking cakes. Take time to sit and have a coffee and you can easily spend a lazy afternoon here watching the flow of people come and go as you sit back and enjoy one of those famous cakes!
