The term “struscio” used to be referred to the Holy Thursday walk, an old-age rite taking place in via Toledo. This custom was introduced by the Viceroy who, following a Spanish tradition, had prohibited the circulation of carriages and horses during the Easter holidays, obliging the believers to walk on foot. Due to the great number of people walking past via Toledo, especially on Holy Thursday, the walk was so slow that feet were shuffled along the way. This fact, together with the fabrics of the new clothes against each other, produced the characteristic sound of rubbing: the “struscio” was born.

With time, the walk became an occasion for young people to buy new holiday clothes, and then, little by little, it has simply taken the meaning of window-shopping. Nowadays, every occasion is good to enjoy the struscio of Partenope. And every walk starts from via Toledo. Or via Roma, if you prefer.

The street wanted by the Viceroy Pedro Álvarez de Toledo in 1536, alternates two names: via Toledo, like the founder, or via Roma, so called from 1870 to 1980 in honour of the new capital of the Reign of Italy. Genuine Neapolitans prefer to call it “via Toledo”.

This street, one of the principal routes of Naples, followed the old western Aragonese walls, in part demolished during the works wanted by don Pedro. Today, it goes from Piazza Dante to piazza Trieste e Trento, bordering monuments, churches and noble residences, like Galleria Umberto I, Palazzo Zevallos, Santa Maria delle Grazie Church, Palazzo Cavalcanti, Palazzo Doria d’Angri and Basilica of Spirito Santo.

Since the XVI century, via Toledo has represented the centre of Neapolitan culture, being one of the destinations of the “Grand Tour” travellers. In 2012 it has become known worldwide thanks to the homonymous underground station, considered the most beautiful of whole Europe.                        (translated by Claudia Romagnuolo)

L'articolo “Struscio”, the “resonant” walk imposed by the Viceroy proviene da Charme.

Naples is called the city of one the hundred bell towers, rich as it is of wonderful and important churches and basilicas. It is really hard to make a choice, but it is a good compromise suggesting the favourite destinations of the traditional “tour of faith”. And God will surely forgive us if the churches proposed are nine instead of seven.

In piazza del Plebiscito stands the Real Basilica pontificia of San Francesco di Paola. Ferdinando I of Bourbon commissioned this building as a votive offering to the patron saint of the Reign of Two Sicilies, who helped him taking back the Reign usurped by Gioacchino Murat. The construction of the church began in 1817 under the guide of the architect Pietro Bianchi (1787-1840) and it was inaugurated by Pope Gregory XVI in 1836.

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It is one of the most famous Neoclassic basilicas of Italy and its circular shape recalls the Roman Pantheon. The most striking characteristic of this impressive church is the wide porch, supported by 38 Doric columns. The majestic interior has three domes: the central one is breathtaking with its 53 metres of height and the 34 marble columns supporting it. The entrance is flanked by two chapels with paintings by Luca Giordano, Nicola Carta, Pietro Benvenuti and Tommaso de Vivo. The high altar, covered with precious stones, was moved in 1835 from the church of Santi Apostoli in via Anticaglia.

In piazzetta Monteoliveto, between piazza del Gesù Nuovo and piazza Carità, stands the church of Sant’Anna dei Lombardi, also knowns as Santa Maria di Monteoliveto. Built at the beginning of XV century in Gothic style, this church was restyled in the course of XVII century according to Baroque taste.

Monteoliveto offers numerous parallels with Florentine Renaissance style, for example in the circular shape of the three chapels Correale, Piccolomini and Tolosa. This church is famous for the paintings decorating the old Refectory, made by Giorgio Vasari with the help of Raffaellino del Colle.

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The vaults present three cycles of frescoes, devoted to Faith, Religion, and Eternity. It is said that Vasari wanted to refuse the work because of the Gothic interiors and the lack of sufficient light, but in the end the artist from Arezzo succeeded in giving a bright luminosity to the wide room, covering all of its vaults with stucco decorations. (to be continued)
(translated by Claudia Romagnuolo)

L'articolo Grand tour of faith on “Sepolcri” day proviene da Charme.