Sant'Angelo a Nilo
Coordinates: 40°50′54″N 14°15′20″E / 40.848326°N 14.255575°E
Sant'Angelo a Nilo is a church in Naples, Italy. It is known for containing the monumental tomb of Cardinal Rainaldo Brancacci (Italian: Sepolcro del Cardinale Brancacci) by Donatello and Michelozzo, one of the major sculptural works in the city.
Description
The church is located in the core of the ancient Greek-Roman city: it takes its name from the Egyptian Nile, who was venerated here by the Egyptian merchants. It was begun in 1385 as a chapel, dedicated to Sts. Angel and Mark, by will of cardinal Rainaldo Brancacci, whose family had a palace nearby. The current appearance dates from a 1709 rebuilding, under the direction of Arcangelo Guglielmelli. Remains of the original Catalan-Gothic structure include the main portal, with an architrave featuring angels, and a fresco in the lunette with The Virgin Mary and Saints Michael and Baculus with Cardinal Brancaccio (15th century). A sculpture of St. Michael from another portal has been moved in the interior.
Artworks in the interior include the tomb of cardinal Brancaccio, canvasses from Luca Giordano school, a 16th-century altarpiece by the Sienese painter Marco Pino and a marble tabernacle in the sacristy.
Antonio Valente, the first major keyboard composer of the Neapolitan school, was organist here in 1565–80.
Sources
- Regina, Vincenzo (2004). Le chiese di Napoli. Viaggio indimenticabile attraverso la storia artistica, architettonica, letteraria, civile e spirituale della Napoli sacra. Naples: Newton e Compton.
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