Basilica di San Severo fuori le mura

San Severo fuori le mura in Naples combines a sixteenth-century basilica with an early Christian burial site and contemporary art by Jago.

Why it matters

The site layers the memory of Bishop Severo, an early Christian burial community and recent artistic practice within the Sanità district. The catacomb's fifth-century frescoes and the modern sculpture Figlio Velato make distant periods part of one place's history.

What to notice

The basilica has a Latin-cross plan, side chapels and paintings by Paolo De Matteis, Leandro Carcano and Pietro Lambertucci. In the Cappella dei Bianchi, Jago's marble sculpture Figlio Velato presents a contemporary reflection on the veiled figure in Neapolitan art. The hypogeum preserves early Christian arcosolia and fresco decoration.

Context and history

The church's dedication recalls Bishop Severo of Naples, traditionally dated to the late fourth and early fifth centuries. A basilica was built on the site in 1573 and remodelled in 1680. The catacomb was rediscovered in 1867. Jago's Figlio Velato was installed in 2019, linking the site's early Christian history with contemporary sculpture.