The Church of Sant'Aspreno ai Crociferi was built in 1633 and dedicated to Sant'Aspreno, the first bishop of Naples. The religious complex, damaged by the rainwater flowing along the valley of Sanità, was rebuilt in 1760 by the architects Bartolomeo and Luca Vecchione, collaborators of the famous Luigi Vanvitelli. The church, after about forty years of closure and abandonment, has reopened to the public with the realisation of an exhibition of contemporary art by the sculptor Jago.
The interior of the building is a Latin cross, with a single nave and two side chapels on each side, and houses some of the most famous works of the sculptor Jago. A place that through art, culture, and its many wonders contributes to the process of cultural and urban regeneration that has affected the Rione Sanità for years.
The façade has many stucco decorations and is preceded by a staircase in lava stone, built so that the church was raised concerning the height of the road, to protect it from the Virgin Lava, rainwater that invaded the streets of stones and mud.
In 2021 the church became the workshop of the famous artist Jago, a place that saw the realisation of the Pietà, a life-size sculpture that represents a contemporary reworking of a moment of recollection and pain. The work, together with the “Aiace and Cassandra” today enriches the collection of the Jago Museum present inside the complex.
In 2023 the Church of Sant'Aspreno ai Crociferi, after years of neglect, gives the Rione Sanità with its reopening a new exhibition space dedicated to contemporary art with the “Jago Museum”'s opening. The complex, located a few steps from the ancient city centre of Naples, is the starting point for the discovery of a area that through its historical and artistic heritage is returning to the Light.
After making the booked visit to the Jago Museum, it will be possible to access free of charge upon reservation to the Veiled Son of Jago, inside the Chapel of the Archconfraternity of the Whites.
In addition, the ticket allows you to visit the Catacombs of San Gennaro and San Gaudioso at a special reduced rate.
