Italy: Naples – Duomo di Napoli

Duomo di Napoli aka Naples Cathedral aka Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta is the main and the largest church in Naples (and there are dozens here). It was built in 1299-1313 under King Charles II of Anjou on the site of earlier Christian basilicas, including the 4th-century Basilica of Santa Restituta. The cathedral has been renovated and expanded over centuries, blending Gothic, Baroque, and Neo-Gothic styles. It’s a humongous cathedral, full of very rich baroque decorations, frescos, and gilded everything. The cathedral also holds the richest collection of religious art in Naples with many famous painting by medieval artists. The cathedral is also famous for the Miracle of San Gennaro, where the saint’s dried blood, stored in vials, is said to liquefy three times a year.