Basilica di Santa Maria la Nova

Founded in 1279 by order of Charles I of Anjou as compensation to Franciscan friars displaced by the construction of Castel Nuovo, Santa Maria la Nova is one of Naples' most coherent Renaissance sacred buildings and carries Italian National Monument status. Its interior was repurposed after deconsecration and now houses the Museo ARCA, a collection of modern religious art — paintings and sculptures by contemporary artists displayed within original Renaissance chapels, creating a rare conversation between old architecture and new devotional work. The adjoining cloister, its arcaded walkways still largely intact, has been converted into a conference venue but retains a contemplative calm that stands in marked contrast to the surrounding bustle of the city's historic commercial center near Piazza Giovanni Bovio.