Chiesa di Santa Maria

The Church of Santa Maria in the Massa Lubrense hamlet of Santa Maria combines a 16th-century chapel with an 18th-century maiolica floor and a polychrome-marble altar. A 15th-century statuette of the Madonna stands above the entrance, and a Holy Family painting is recorded as a gift from Guido Reni to the De Curtis family.

Why it matters

The church gives its name to the hamlet, formerly called Belvedere. Its history is closely connected with the small rural community and its devotion to Santa Maria della Misericordia.

What to notice

The maiolica floor has elaborate 18th-century decoration. Above the entrance door, dated 1613, is a 15th-century statuette of the Madonna and Child. The high altar of polychrome marble was transferred in 1808 from the church of San Giuseppe del Quartiere. The ancient effigy of the Misericordia stands above it, alongside the Holy Family painting recorded as a gift from Guido Reni to the De Curtis family.

Context and history

The church includes a 16th-century Cappella dell'Annunziata, later titled Santa Maria della Carità. The nave ends in an apse beneath a square-plan dome. The hamlet's older name, Belvedere, was replaced by Santa Maria della Misericordia in reference to the church and the local tradition of its protection.