Tours and Tickets to Experience Naples Cathedral (Duomo di San Gennaro)

Also known as Saint Januarius, San Gennaro is the major patron saint of Naples—his blood, which is stored in vials behind the altar inside Naples Cathedral (Duomo di San Gennaro), is said to miraculously liquefy three times a year. The cathedral also houses the saint’s skull, an urn with his bones, and additional remains.

While the facade of Naples Cathedral—also known as the Duomo di Napoli or Cattedrale di San Gennaro—is built in neo-Gothic architectural style, the rest of the building fuses Gothic, baroque, Renaissance, and neoclassical influences. The many renovations and rebuildings throughout the years has resulted in the blend of styles.

Naples Cathedral is full of unusual features and artworks. In the Chapel of San Gennaro you can see Jusepe de Ribera's St. Gennaro Escaping the Furnace Unscathed, plus the dome fresco painted by Giovanni Lanfranco. The Battistero di San Giovanni in Fonte, one of Europe’s oldest bapistrys, contains remnants of 4th-century mosaics, while the adjacent Museum of the Treasures of San Gennaro contains more artworks and relics.

Yes, among the religious ceremonies at Naples Cathedral is the liquefaction ceremony of San Gennaro's blood, which takes place three times a year, in May, September, and December. During this event, the vials of San Gennaro’s blood are removed from the chapel and taken to the high altar, where crowds watch to see if the blood liquefies.

No, you can’t climb to the top of Naples Cathedral. Unlike other famous cathedrals in Milan and Florence, Naples Cathedral doesn’t have an accessible dome with panoramic views. To find some of the best panoramic views of Naples, head instead to the lookout of Castel Sant’Elmo.

Yes, there are notable tombs and burial sites within Naples Cathedral. The cathedral houses the bones of San Gennaro, the patron saint of Naples, and the remains of Pope Innocent IV. The cathedral is also the burial place of Angevin (French-Norman) rulers, such as Charles I of Naples.

Naples Cathedral is partly wheelchair-accessible—wheelchairs users, or anyone with limited mobility, will find an accessible ramp to enter the cathedral from street level, but may not be able to access all parts of the cathedral, such as the chapel. Via Duomo, the street that the cathedral lies on, is steep and fairly narrow.