Cappella Sansevero (Veiled Christ)

The Cappella Sansevero is a small baroque chapel on Via Francesco de Sanctis in the Centro Storico of Naples, in Italy's Campania region, and houses one of the most admired sculptures in Europe: Giuseppe Sanmartino's Veiled Christ of 1753. The chapel was transformed in the mid-18th century by Raimondo di Sangro, Prince of Sansevero, a scholar and inventor, who commissioned an elaborate programme of allegorical statues, marble and frescoes. Visitors enter a single richly decorated nave whose floor, ceiling fresco and wall monuments are all part of the design. The Veiled Christ lies at the centre, a marble figure of the dead Christ covered by a translucent shroud so finely carved that the veil appears to cling to the body. Around the nave stand statues of the Virtues, among them the Disillusion and Modesty, carved with similar virtuosity. A stairway leads to the crypt, where the so-called Anatomical Machines, two preserved skeletal figures showing the circulatory system, are displayed and have long fascinated visitors. Entry is by timed ticket and numbers inside are limited, so the chapel feels intimate rather than crowded, but slots sell out well ahead in high season. A visit takes 45 to 60 minutes. The first slot of the day is usually calmest, and the best view of the Veiled Christ is from the foot of the statue, where the light from the side windows shows the folds of the shroud. Photography is not allowed inside, so visitors should plan to rely on looking rather than on pictures. The chapel is two minutes on foot from Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, making it easy to combine with Spaccanapoli, Santa Chiara and the Gesù Nuovo church.