The Chiesa dei Girolamini features two facades, the more imposing of which is the 18th-century one facing Piazza dei Girolamini on Via dei Tribunali. The adjacent 17th-century convent features two beautiful cloisters and a small gallery with 16th- to 18th-century works by Neapolitan masters. The church itself was expected to reopen in 2019 or 2020 after some much-needed maintenance. Both the cloisters and art gallery remain open.
Waiting inside are numerous baroque delights, among them frescoes by Francesco Solimena and a pair of monumental marble angels by 18th-century sculptor Giuseppe Sanmartino, considered his finest works beyond his Cristo velato (Veiled Christ).
The sprawling 16th-century complex is also home to the Biblioteca dei Girolamini (Girolamini Library). Dating back to 1586, it's the oldest library in Naples and the second oldest in Italy. In 2013, the library made world headlines after its director, Marino Massimo De Caro, was indicted for looting its precious collection of rare books. Sadly, the library is currently closed to the public.
