THEState Archives of Naples becomes a Museum thanks to the "Centro Storico di Napoli - Enhancement of the Unesco site" project which provides for an investment of over 5 million euros for the recovery and the refurbishment of the structure. The beautiful Archive it is located in the Benedictine monastery of Santi Severino and Sossio to the historic center and is one of the most important buildings in Naples.
In this way it will become a place of culture even more modern, organic and functional and, thanks to another 2 million euros from the PNRR, the beautiful gardens of the monastic complex will also be restored.
The aim is to ensure that, in addition to the State Archive, it also becomes a Museum aimed at the general public which includes both citizens and tourists. A new museum in which discover the "hidden" Naples between ancient walls, silent monasteries and cloisters in which to reflect.
With this project, the State Archives will also be opened in its entrances which are currently closed. We refer mainly to that in Via San Biagio dei Librai, currently unusable.
The Museum will certainly be beautiful with its cloisters hidden in silence, the great paintings now in oblivion, the large halls that once swarmed with monks and where today researchers and scholars carry on their activities.
The reopening of the Platano Atrium, the oldest
Thanks to the European Funds, on 19 July 2022 it was also possible to open to the public theAtrium of the Platano, the oldest in the Archive.
It was built between the '300 and the' 400 and is decorated with a pictorial cycle which represents Benedictine stories made by Antonio Solario, known as Lo Zingaro, one of the most important artists of Renaissance painting in Naples where the Aragonasei reigned.
The Sala dei Catasti and its frescoes
Also on July 19, the restoration of the Hall of Land Registers, former Chapter Hall, which holds the ounce registers of the '600 and which is adorned with beautiful frescoes recently discovered. They are works that represent biblical scenes made by Greek painter Belisario Corenzio.
Future goals
The next step will be complete the work on the marble cloister, one of the few in town with the columns still intact. The Cloister is a fundamental link between the rooms of the monastic complex in which the State Archive was built.
Cover photo credit: Giuseppe Guida (Wikipedia)
