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Church · Napoli (NA)

Church of Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio ad Arco

  • Visit: about 20 min
Church of Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio ad Arco
Photo: Lalupa · Public domain · resized

The church of the Purgatorio ad Arco, with its hypogeum linked to the Neapolitan cult of the «anime pezzentelle».

On Via dei Tribunali, recognisable by the bronze skulls in front of the entrance, the church was built in the 17th century by a congregation that prayed for the souls in Purgatory. The upper church is a refined example of Neapolitan Baroque.In the underground hypogeum, Neapolitans used to adopt the skulls of the «anime pezzentelle», the poor forgotten souls, caring for them in exchange for graces. It is one of the most evocative places for understanding the city's relationship with the afterlife.

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