Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie

In the heart of the Bourbon district of Vaccheria, stands the characteristic church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. The gothic lines of the exteriors, mixed with the baroque classicism of the interiors, make it a significant and pioneering example of Neapolitan eclectic art, on the outside there is an imposing square that does not highlight its beauty.

The Vaccheria district was born in 1773 at the behest of Ferdinand IV and took its name from the cattle farms from Sardinia. It developed at the foot of the Royal Casino and also saw the presence of canetterie, which housed the faithful hunting companions of the sovereign. The Royal Casino, now called Casino Vecchio, was nothing more than a three-level country farmhouse with a rectangular plan. Inside there was a small chapel dedicated to San Leucio, which until the end of the eighteenth century was the only place of worship accessible to the community. With the growth of the neighborhood, the construction of a real church capable of hosting the entire population became necessary. As soon as he returned from exile in Sicily, in fact, he commissioned Francesco Collecini, a disciple of Luigi Vanvitelli, to build the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. The choice of the architect of the complex, which the king wanted to build also following a vow made to the Madonna delle Grazie in Palermo, was a sort of compensation to Collecini, who was deprived of the position of General Director of the construction upon the death of Luigi Vanvitelli of the Reggia, entrusted to the younger Carlo Vanvitelli.

Beautiful church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. The gothic lines of the exterior, mixed with baroque classicism