Church of the Carmine in Avellino

In the heart of Avellino stands the Church of the Carmine, founded in the early 17th century by the Caracciolo family, lords of the city, who wanted it as the burial place of the princely family. We like coming in here because it tells, very directly, of the bond between the city and the dynasty that guided its fortunes for centuries, between devotion and display.We suggest lingering over the high altar, with a marble bas-relief attributed to Giandomenico D'Auria, and the statue of Saint Teresa attributed to Cosimo Fanzago. Then look up at the coffered wooden ceiling: at its centre is the Apotheosis of the House of Caracciolo, a canvas completed in 1747 by the Salerno painter Angelo Michele Ricciardi.