The National Museum of San Martino is one of the best museums in Naples. The Museum of San Martino is located in the Certosa di San Martino or Saint Martin’s Charterhouse, a large monastery complex dating back to 1368 that sits on top of Vomero Hill, near Sant’Elmo Castle. From the street between the castle and the museum there are fantastic views of Naples and the Bay.
Museum highlights
The museum exhibits are housed in the former monks’ dwellings and you can see the ornate rooms of the monastery. Be sure to visit the garden and the cloisters as well. The highlights of the Museum and Monastery of San Martino include:
- The famous neopolitan nativity scene exhibition, or presepi, presents one of the largest nativities with more than 160 people. Most of the scenes belonged to royalty or wealthy residents of Naples during the 18th and 20th centuries and have been donated to the museum. This is one of the main presepi exhibitions in the world.
- Chiostro Grande, or great cloister, was designed in the 16th century Renaissance style and has a portico with marble columns and a mosaic floor. Here you can also see the cemetery of the monks.
- Frescoes from the 16th – 17th century, mosaics and wood carvings in the monastery.
- Paintings and sculptures from the 13th-19th centuries.
- Chiesa delle Donne, the church with Lanfranco frescoes and baroque art.
- The monastery gardens have fruit trees, flowers and fountains and magnificent views.
- Popular art exhibition and Mount Vesuvius exhibition.
- Check for rotating special displays as well.
Details
Location : Largo San Martino 5, on Cerro Vomero
How to get there : Take the funicular or the incline railway, from Via Toledo through Galleria Umberto to Vomero, then it’s about a five-minute walk. The closest metro station is Piazza Vanvitelli on metro line 1, then the V1 bus or a 10-15 minute walk uphill.
Please note that the museum is generally closed on Wednesdays.
