In the blue shadow of a old church I sit on a stone bench in the Center of Napoli eating my first slice of Italian pizza. They call it Portafoglio, which translates to “wallet” pizza because the crust is very thin and they fold it in half to eat it. This one came from “The best pizzeria in Napoli, as I am told by my friend Riccardo. He should know, he has lived all his life in Napoli. And it is so damn good! I close my eyes and savor the taste as the oil drips from the crevice of the folded slice and travels down my wrist. In creeps the sound of an accordion and I open my eyes to the silent pleading looks of a hungry street dog. I finish the slice, pass the dog some crust and we are off wandering.

Napoli is wonderfully charming. Upon first impression it reminds me of Valparaiso, Chile one of my favorite towns; with its gritty, faded grandeur, cobblestoned streets, narrow alleyways, street art, and a bubbling, swirling creative energy. Like Valpo, Napoli runs along the sea and part of the city is built up on the hills. The people make good use of the public space congregating in the squares, drinking, playing music and passing the time. There is a saying in Valparaiso that if a comet hit the city it would hit a musician, bounce off, and hit an artist. I would say that if a comet hit Napoli, it would crash into a church, ricochet, and hit another church.

There are so many churches here! They are as plentiful as Starbucks in Seattle. They crowd the city blocks, they are built right across the street from each other and right next door to each other. Many are abandoned and others have been added to over the years, some with a mixture of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles all in one building. Already I have visited many and my favorite one is called Gesu’ Nuovo.

Piazza del Gesu’ Nuovo. (The church is behind the sculpture to the right)

Pyramids with symbols that make out a song

The inside of Gesu’ Nuovo.

The walls are covered in stone pyramids and each one has a symbol etched into it. I was told they make up a song. When I entered the church, my heart swelled, goosebumps came over me and I shrunk to the size of a pea. The magnificence and craftsmanship worked into every crevice of this holy place is overwhelming. Every surface is filled with ornate detail; marble inlay, carved stones, gold gilded everything.

Reverence.

I walked slowly, humbly to all corners, shaking my head in awe of the devotion put into this place. With eyes rolling upward, a gaping mouth and a strained neck and I take in the ceiling which has a number of domes all decorated with impressive paintings of divine scenarios. The sides of the church contained many altars each one for a different. Many of their bones were there, tucked away in a gilded grave or buried in the marble floors. 

Speaking of bones, I am excited to visit the underground city of Napoli with its underground cemeteries. This week, before I paint the tram I will explore more of the city, meet some friends of friends and try to learn some Italian.

Altro a breve! ~