n the most authentic heart of Naples, the one that escapes distracted glances and is discovered instead by those who walk slowly and curiously, there is an extraordinary place: the Courtyard of the Statues. It is not just a courtyard or even a suggestive corner of the historic center: it is a true silent, intimate, unexpected microcosm, where time slows down offering those who linger there one of the most noble areas of the city. We are a few steps away from the most beaten paths, yet completely elsewhere. The chatter of the streets fades and between elegant porticoes and architecture steeped in history, this enchanted space opens up, very powerful for those who know how to listen. The Courtyard of the Statues is ready to welcome you inside the Palace of the University of Naples Federico II, also known as the Headquarters, located between Via Mezzocannone and Corso Umberto I. This building is a significant example of Neapolitan neo-baroque architecture, designed by architects Pierpaolo Quaglia and Guglielmo Melisurgo, and built between 1897 and 1908. Discovering all this does not mean adding a common stop to your itinerary: it means taking a dive into the profound identity of Naples. The one that does not necessarily want to be ostentatious and chaotic but that shows itself in its intellectual, rebellious and refined soul. Ours is a stratified and complex city in which culture, however, has never been a luxury. It is a vital necessity.
A place of culture in the heart of the ancient Cloister of the Savior
The Courtyard of the Statues is nestled inside the ancient Mother House of the Jesuits of the Savior, a majestic sixteenth-century structure that represents one of the historic hearts of Neapolitan academic architecture. After the unification of Italy, this building – full of religious and cultural symbolism – was converted to house the first secular and state university in the world: the University of Naples Federico II, founded in 1224 by Emperor Frederick II of Swabia.
It was precisely among the arches of this extraordinary cloister, capable of harmoniously mixing baroque and neoclassical elements, that in 1865 a bold and profoundly representative project took shape: to transform this space into a place that paid homage not to religion but rather to culture understood as secular sacredness, erecting what has always been a true temple of thought.
That year, the first four full-length statues were placed, carved in precious Carrara marble and positioned along the ground floor of the portico. The chosen figures –Pier della Vigna, Giambattista Vico, Giordano Bruno and Tommaso d’Aquino – were chosen for their courage, for the strength of their ideas, for having been figures who proudly embodied free thought, the ethical tension towards knowledge and the defense of knowledge as a tool of strong emancipation.
Even today, these statues watch over the courtyard with austere elegance, acting as silent witnesses to the profound bond between Naples and its intellectual vocation. Not only do they celebrate the past, but they continue to speak to the present, inspiring students, visitors and travellers with their powerful yet discreet presence.
A pantheon for Neapolitan culture
Walking in the Courtyard of the Statues, one immediately perceives that it is not a simple university space. It is in fact a much more symbolic and complex place, which with its sculpted figures accompanies the progress of wayfarers with – in addition to the four main statues – nine marble busts, arranged in a ring under the arches of the portico. The figures depicted are scientists and intellectuals who have left a profound mark on the history of European thought.
Among them: Bertrando Spaventa, Francesco Fiorentino, Antonio Tari, Salvatore Tommasi, Francesco De Sanctis, Luigi Palmieri, Giacomo Leopardi, Carlo Troya and a ninth mysterious bust, not identified with certainty. Some scholars hypothesize that it is the famous botanist and naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, friend and supporter of Neapolitan culture.
In any case, each of these faces, each of these glances carved in stone, tells a fragment of a cultured, refined, intellectually fertile Naples that still today knows how to be a laboratory of ideas, a city of thinkers, artists, scholars of various kinds.
The symbolic value of the Courtyard of the Statues
As already mentioned, this space is not just a passage point for students and teachers: it is a living place, full of meaning, memory and inspiration. Academic ceremonies, cultural events and institutional meetings regularly take place here. The courtyard is an integral part of the identity of Federico II, the oldest state university in Europe.
Every day hundreds of students and visitors pass through this space, often unaware of its history, but those who stop for a moment under one of the arches and observe those astonishing details carved in marble, can perceive the echo of the centuries. They can almost feel the weight of the thought that has passed here and that is still renewed today. This is the invisible heart of the Naples of ideas: free, powerful, visionary.
Tip: when to visit
The Courtyard of the Statues is open to the public during the university opening hours, but the most evocative time to visit is early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the sunlight filters obliquely between the arches and caresses the faces of the statues, creating shadows and an almost metaphysical atmosphere.
For an even more immersive visit, it is possible – upon request and availability of the organizing bodies – to take a personalized guided tour, often combined with a visit to the University Library of Naples. Starting from the center, we also suggest a visit to the nearby Chiostro Maiolicato di Santa Chiara and to be tempted by other treasures of the historic center.
If you are our guest, know that you will have all this and much more at your fingertips. Our staff will be happy to offer you advice, local contacts and tailor-made itineraries, to discover the real Naples: that of connoisseurs.
The privilege of an authentic stay
Those who choose the Santa Chiara Boutique Hotel have the rare privilege of being just a few steps away from one of the most fascinating and lesser-known places in the city. Our refined and private hotel is designed for those seeking authentic experiences in a context of peace and beauty.
From the elegant rooms to the private transfer service, from the e-bikes to explore the city in a sustainable way, to the reusable metal water bottles, to the flexibility of late check-in, every detail is designed to offer you a tailor-made, comfortable stay, respectful of the environment and the spirit of our beautiful Partenope.
Imagine starting the day with breakfast on the terrace overlooking the rooftops of the historic center and then walking out to reach, in a few minutes, the Courtyard of the Statues. There, among the academic silences and the austere beauty of the sculptures, you can feel part of a story that continues to speak. Part of a story that is ready to welcome you.
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