ROYAL CHAPEL OF THE TREASURE OF SAINT JANUARIUS

Your walk through the Cathedral should start along the right nave. As you can see, the third chapel is a large space on its own: it is the Royal Chapel of the Treasure of Saint Januarius, a masterpiece of Baroque Neapolitan architecture. It is precisely here that with baited breath, every year the Neapolitans await the miracle of the liquefaction of their protector saint's blood. But the chapel is also prodigious for the value of its works, starting with the entrance gate; both the gate and the floors were designed by the great architect and sculptor Cosimo Fanzago from Bergamo, who was a genius with the Baroque style. He left an impressive number of works in Naples that includes churches, palaces, convents, spires, chapels, altars, and statues.

The city's coat of arms carved into the floor is clearly visible at the entrance to the Chapel of Saint Januarius . Since its origin, the chapel has always been the property of the city of Naples, and not of the Church.

FUN FACT: the majestic chapel gate has a special peculiarity: if you tap the brass bars with a metal stick, they each make a different musical note. It is practically a large xylophone, designed more to amaze you than to be played: a typical Baroque extravagance!