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Description
Santa Maria Egiziaca a Forcella (or church of Santa Maria Egiziaca all'Olmo) is a Baroque style church in Naples, Italy; located in the quartiere di Forcella.
The church was founded in 1342 under the patronage of Queen Sancha of Aragon. The church and buildings were meant to shelter donne di mondo convertite (prostitutes). Later these functions were pursued by Santa Maria Maddalena, and this church became attached to a small nunnery for aristocratic women, and gained the new tite of Maria Egiziaca.
The church underwent reconstructions in 1500 by Gabriele d'Agnolo, and in 1684 by Dionisio Lazzari. The latter reconstruction gave the church its present Baroque appearance. The original facade faced the piazza dell'Olmo (from where came its name all'Olmo).
The interior is decorated with polychrome marble by Nicola Tagliacozzi Canale. In the presbytery are paintings by Paolo De Maio. The elaborate main altar (1713) was completed by Gennaro Ragozzino hosts an altarpiece depicting First communion of Santa Maria Egiziaca (1696) by Andrea Vaccaro. Flanking the altar are paintings depicting The Conversion and Flight from Egypt, by Luca Giordano.
The second chapel on the right has an altarpiece of Virgin of the Rosary and Saints by Fabrizio Santafede. The third chapel of the right has two canvases, Madonna and Saints Angelo and Clare Montefalco and Saints Cajetan and Francis by Francesco Solimena. One chapel housed an altarpiece of Mary and St Anne with Angels crowning the Virgin Mary attributed to Giordano. Among the other works in the church are Madonna with Saint Augustine and Monica by Solimena, an Immaculate Conception by Ferrante Amendola (pupil of Solimena), a Young Virgin Mary by Paolo de Matteis, and a San Nicola by Giacomo Farelli. Naples has another church dedicated to Santa Maria Egiziaca (Saint Mary of Egypt who died in the fourth century) on a hill of Pizzofalcone, which has the name of the church is Santa Maria Egiziaca a Pizzofalcone).
Vincenzo Regina, Le chiese di Napoli. Viaggio indimenticabile attraverso la storia artistica, architettonica, letteraria, civile e spirituale della Napoli sacra, Newton and Compton editor, Naples 2004.
The church was founded in 1342 under the patronage of Queen Sancha of Aragon. The church and buildings were meant to shelter donne di mondo convertite (prostitutes). Later these functions were pursued by Santa Maria Maddalena, and this church became attached to a small nunnery for aristocratic women, and gained the new tite of Maria Egiziaca.
The church underwent reconstructions in 1500 by Gabriele d'Agnolo, and in 1684 by Dionisio Lazzari. The latter reconstruction gave the church its present Baroque appearance. The original facade faced the piazza dell'Olmo (from where came its name all'Olmo).
The interior is decorated with polychrome marble by Nicola Tagliacozzi Canale. In the presbytery are paintings by Paolo De Maio. The elaborate main altar (1713) was completed by Gennaro Ragozzino hosts an altarpiece depicting First communion of Santa Maria Egiziaca (1696) by Andrea Vaccaro. Flanking the altar are paintings depicting The Conversion and Flight from Egypt, by Luca Giordano.
The second chapel on the right has an altarpiece of Virgin of the Rosary and Saints by Fabrizio Santafede. The third chapel of the right has two canvases, Madonna and Saints Angelo and Clare Montefalco and Saints Cajetan and Francis by Francesco Solimena. One chapel housed an altarpiece of Mary and St Anne with Angels crowning the Virgin Mary attributed to Giordano. Among the other works in the church are Madonna with Saint Augustine and Monica by Solimena, an Immaculate Conception by Ferrante Amendola (pupil of Solimena), a Young Virgin Mary by Paolo de Matteis, and a San Nicola by Giacomo Farelli. Naples has another church dedicated to Santa Maria Egiziaca (Saint Mary of Egypt who died in the fourth century) on a hill of Pizzofalcone, which has the name of the church is Santa Maria Egiziaca a Pizzofalcone).
Vincenzo Regina, Le chiese di Napoli. Viaggio indimenticabile attraverso la storia artistica, architettonica, letteraria, civile e spirituale della Napoli sacra, Newton and Compton editor, Naples 2004.