Already visible from its robust bell tower, Santa Chiara stands in front of the entrance of Spaccanapoli, opposite the Church of Gesù Nuovo and next to the Guglia dell'Immacolata.
Constructed over the remains of an immense thermal spa of Roman times, the convent is one of the largest buildings in the entire historic center, which makes you realize how important this convent of Franciscan cloister nuns was, which also had many aristocratic daughters among its members.
It was built at the beginning of the 14th century at the behest of King Robert of Anjou after his wife Sancia suggested it, who had wanted to become a nun but instead had to marry for dynastic reasons. Your visit will begin from the "monastery", which was made famous by a heart-breaking song of the 1940s.
As you've certainly already experienced here in Naples, you'll be amazed at the amplitude of this Gothic cloister, especially if you compare it with the congested streets that surround it. But if you think about it, in Naples the large monastery garden cloisters stand in for large piazzas.
Would you like to see a corner of paradise? Go to the center of one of the four large flower beds in the cloister: it was transformed into a delightful vineyard and lemon arbor with octagonal benches and pillars in the 1700s. Everything is covered with colorful majolica tiles depicting landscapes, fruit festoons, and rustic and everyday life scenes. It is one of the most famous spots in Naples!
Some of the rooms overlooking the cloister still have traces of frescoes dating back to the 14th century. In a wing of the convent you'll find the Museum of the Opera of Santa Chiara, where you can see objects and works of art from the complex, including the archaeological remains of the Roman baths that are at its foundation, and excellent 14th-century sculptures.
FUN FACT: like many ancient monuments, Santa Chiara also has its own ghost. It's the ghost of Queen Joanna, who was murdered in her sleep by four assassins.
Her body was taken to the church to prove that she had really died, but then she was immediately thrown into a common grave because the queen had been excommunicated. Every year on the date of her death, she wanders around the cloister. Be careful not to cross her gaze!
