Toledo

- Piazza Dante, Tarsia, Montesanto, Piazza Carità, Toledo, San Ferdinando, Via Chiaia, Piazza dei Martiri -

Pedro da Toledo's expansion plan enlarged the perimeter of the city wall, creating a new artery running from the monastery of Santo Spirito to the convent of Monteoliveto, and continuing on to the Porta Reale, joining together lines of development from the hillside, from earlier districts, as well as from the ancient city. The design of the expansion was entrusted to Giambattista Benincasa and Ferdinando Maglione. The itinerary begins at Piazza Dante, characterized by the hemicycle of the King Charles Forum (designed by Luigi Vanvitelli in honor of Charles III, 1757-1767), which incorporates Port'Alba (renovated in 1797) on the left. Palazzo Bagnara, the church and convent of Santa Maria di Caravaggio, and San Domenico Soriano flank the piazza. Once past the church of San Michele, our route bends up the hillside, climbing Via Tarsia to the Palazzo Spinelli di Tarsia. Along the way it passes Palazzo Lattuada and the Bracco Theater, and as it descends, the church of Sant'Antonio a Tarsia. Further along, it comes to the church of Santa Maria di Montesanto. Along Via Pignasecca it passes Santa Maria di Materdomini (end of the sixteenth century) and Trinità dei Pellegrini, a masterpiece by Vanvitelli, whose great staircase is now inside the courtyard of the hospital (one enters through a side door). Returning to Via Toledo, our route passes the church of Santo Spirito on the left and, at the corner, Palazzo Doria D'Angri, the work of Carlo Vanvitelli (1755). Further along, on the left, is Palazzo Maddaloni, enlarged by Cosimo Fanzago. In Piazza Carità, which has undergone recent architectural transformations, we find the church of San Nicola alla Carità, Palazzo Mastelloni (with an eighteenth century gate), and Palazzo Cavalcanti, the work of Mario Gioffredo (1762). Continuing along, we pass Santa Maria delle Grazie, Palazzo Tappia, and Palazzo Lieto (1754). Making a small detour along Via Uries, we find the Orthodox church of San Pietro e Paolo, and farther along, the Palazzo of the Bank of Naples and Palazzo Zevallos. Opposite is the Funicolare Centrale with the Augusteum Theater (Nervi's first work) and Palazzo Berio, designed by Vanvitelli (1772). At the end of the street is the Galleria Umberto. Our route reaches Piazza Trieste e Trento, also called Piazza San Ferdinando from the church of that name. The Circolo Artistico Politecnico is housed in a building on the corner. Taking Via Chiaia (laid out in the eighteenth century), our route heads toward Piazza dei Martiri. The gate which once separated the city from the Chiaia district was torn down at the beginning of the nineteenth century. (Paolo Mascilli Migliorini)