Basilica di San Domenico Maggiore

The Basilica of San Domenico Maggiore is a major Gothic church in Naples and a centre of Dominican intellectual life. Rebuilt under Angevin patronage, it later became the burial church of the Aragonese royal house.

Why it matters

The church and convent connect Naples's religious, dynastic and intellectual histories. The Dominican studium was associated with Thomas Aquinas, who taught theology here between 1272 and 1274. Members of the Aragonese royal family were buried in the complex, making it an important dynastic pantheon.

What to notice

The church's raised Gothic apse and transept preserve the form of its medieval rebuilding, while the interior also reflects later campaigns of decoration. The monumental sacristy contains royal tombs and related vestments and treasures. A room in the convent is traditionally identified as the cell of Saint Thomas Aquinas.

Context and history

The Dominicans established themselves on the site in the thirteenth century. Charles II of Anjou sponsored the Gothic rebuilding between 1283 and 1324. Later Aragonese rulers chose the church for their burials. Major seventeenth-century works under prior Tommaso Ruffo reshaped parts of the complex, including its dormitory and interiors.