San Gennaro extra Moenia
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San Gennaro extra Moenia
("San Gennaro Beyond the Walls") is a church in Naples
, Italy
. It is located on the large road that leads up to the Capodimonte museum and is an example of so-called paleo-Christian architecture in the city.
The foundation of the church is connected with the Catacombs of San Gennaro
, the largest Christian catacomb complex in southern Italy. The first structure was probably the result of the fusion of two ancient burial sites, one from the 2nd century CE that contained the remains of Saint Agrippinus of Naples, the first patron saint
of Naples, and the site from the 4th century CE that contained the remains of San Gennaro, the now traditional patron saint of the city.
This ancient basilica was then reformed in the fourth century AD and expanded between the 11th and 15th centuries. The church became a hospital in 1648. The church is still contained within the complex of the larger hospital structure. The premises provide access to the extensive catacombs themselves.
Extra moenia
Extra moenia is a Latin phrase that means outside the walls or outside the walls of the city.The phrase is commonly used in reference to the original attributes of a building, usually a church, where it was built outside the original city walls...
("San Gennaro Beyond the Walls") is a church in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is located on the large road that leads up to the Capodimonte museum and is an example of so-called paleo-Christian architecture in the city.
The foundation of the church is connected with the Catacombs of San Gennaro
Catacombs of San Gennaro
The Catacombs of San Gennaro are underground paleo-Christian burial sites in Naples, Italy. They are situated in the northern part of the city, on the slope leading up to Capodimonte...
, the largest Christian catacomb complex in southern Italy. The first structure was probably the result of the fusion of two ancient burial sites, one from the 2nd century CE that contained the remains of Saint Agrippinus of Naples, the first patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of Naples, and the site from the 4th century CE that contained the remains of San Gennaro, the now traditional patron saint of the city.
This ancient basilica was then reformed in the fourth century AD and expanded between the 11th and 15th centuries. The church became a hospital in 1648. The church is still contained within the complex of the larger hospital structure. The premises provide access to the extensive catacombs themselves.