CHURCH OF SAN FRANCESCO DI PAOLA

After the fall of Napoleon, the Bourbons returned to power and the square changed character. King Ferdinand IV restored a religious aspect by erecting the Church of San Francesco di Paola preceded by a semicircular arcade around the churchyard; the church was inspired by the Pantheon of Agrippa in Rome. And so the square was majestically inaugurated in 1846 with the name "Piazza Ferdinandea" or "di San Francesco di Paola" in honor of the saint who, according to the king, had aided in his return to the throne.

If you go inside the church you'll see that the interior was also inspired by the Pantheon, with its vast circular space, the dome with square, paneled niches called "cassettoni", and the large round window above. I suggest admiring the beautiful floor with colored marble, the nineteenth-century decorations, and the works of art and furnishings from churches that had been demolished or modified in previous centuries.

I'd especially like to point out the main altar that was made in porphyry in the middle of the 18th century, with inlays of precious historical stones known as agate and lapis lazuli.