In 1442, with the conquest of the Kingdom by Alfonso of Aragon, called the Magnanimous, the castle was gradually rebuilt according to the defensive needs of the mid-15th century, with the intervention of the Majorcan architect Guillem Sagrera. Since 1990, the castle has housed the Civic Museum.
The visit itinerary is organized between the Palatine Chapel, the first and second floors of the southern curtain wall of the castle. The Palatine Chapel, the only surviving testimony from the Angevin period, is characterized externally by a marble portal crafted by Andrea dell’Aquila.
The interior, originally frescoed by Giotto and his workshop, features works by the Florentine painter Niccolò di Tommaso and artists from the same circle from the second half of the 14th century, coming from the Balzo Castle of Casaluce.
Among the works of Neapolitan Renaissance are worth mentioning the Shrine by Domenico Gagini, the tabernacle by Jacopo della Pila, and the Madonna with Child by Francesco Laurana, originally located at the chapel portal. On the first floor, religious commission works from the 15th to the 18th century are displayed, coming from suppressed churches and institutions. Of notable value is the 15th-century painting “The Madonna with Child and Saints” from the monumental complex of S. Eligio and “The Adoration of the Magi” painted by Marco Cardisco (circa 1519) for the Palatine Chapel.
An example of 17th-century Neapolitan production is the “Crucifixion” by Battistello Caracciolo from the former Royal House Santa dell’Annunziata. Among the applied art objects of liturgical origin, notable are a 16th-century rock crystal and embossed silver crucifix and the reliquary bust of St. Barbara.
The second floor houses works from the 18th to the 20th century. In the rooms dedicated to works of late 19th-century Naples, paintings arranged by themes can be admired: historical episodes, landscapes, views of the city of Naples, portraits of women and genre scenes.
During the visit, you can also admire the historical environments of the castle including the Barons’ Hall, the Beverello Tower, the portico area with archaeological evidence, the patrol paths, and panoramic terraces. Next to the museum spaces, there are two exhibition rooms, respectively “Loggia Room” and “Charles V Room,” which systematically host temporary exhibitions.
The Civic Museum Castel Nuovo is included in the Campania>Artecard museum network. A privileged place of memory and identity of the territory, the castle is intended to play the role of a widespread museum of the city through the recovery and enhancement of further monumental spaces and the relative expansion of collections.
