San Nicola a Nilo

San Nicola a Nilo
Chiesa di San Nicola a Nilo
Facade of the church of San Nicola a Nilo, Naples.
40°50′57″N 14°15′24″E / 40.849080°N 14.256765°E / 40.849080; 14.256765Coordinates: 40°50′57″N 14°15′24″E / 40.849080°N 14.256765°E / 40.849080; 14.256765
Location	Naples
Country	Campania
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church
History
Founded	1705
Dedicated	1705
Relics held	Bones of St. Nicholas
Architecture
Style	Baroque architecture

San Nicola a Nilo is a Baroque-style Roman Catholic church on Via San Biagio dei Librai #10, in the center of Naples, province of Campania, Italy. It stands across from the Palazzo Diomede Carafa.

History[]

After Masaniello's revolution of 1647, the pharmacist Sabato Anella took pity on the many children orphaned in the upheavals, and created an orphanage at his home near Sedile di Porto. Thereafter the Count of Oñate, then Viceroy, obtained a building at this site from the Marquis of Mari. A church and adjacent oratory-church were built, and supervised by a monastic order. The church was dedicated to dedicated to St Nicolas, Bishop of Myra, patron of orphans and grocers.^[1]

The children boarded there had to live by a monastic rule. Over time, the house was transformed into a monastery open to youngsters from wealthy families. In 1705, the church we see now was built using a design by . After the Irpinia earthquake of 1980, the complex was abandoned and given to the Community of Sant'Egidio. The church has a central Greek cross plan with a circular room, decorated in baroque style with Corinthian columns.^[2]

References[]