Certosa di San Martino (the Charterhouse of Saint Martin. Largo San Martino 5, on the Vomero hill (235m altitude) above the Naples historic center): the specific Carthusian monastic complex (the certosa, the Italian Carthusian monastery format whose specific architectural requirements (the individual monk cells arranged around the great cloister, the chapter house, the chapterhouse garden, and the specific monastic layout that the Carthusian order (the Ordo Cartusiensis founded by Saint Bruno in the Grande Chartreuse in 1084) mandates for every foundation) determine the Certosa di San Martino's specific layout) founded in 1325 by Charles, Duke of Calabria (the son of Robert of Anjou, the King of Naples) and whose specific transformation from the original Gothic structure into the masterpiece of Neapolitan Baroque (the most concentrated single expression of the Neapolitan Baroque in any single building, the specific 17th-century Baroque renovation (1623-1656) directed by the sculptor Cosimo Fanzago (the most important single Neapolitan Baroque artist whose specific marble work at the San Martino certosa constitutes his specific magnum opus)) makes it the most architecturally extraordinary single building on the Vomero hill and the one with the most comprehensive view of the Naples Bay.
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Certosa di San Martino: View, Cloister, and Presepe
The Panoramic Terrace
The Certosa di San Martino panoramic terrace (the specific terrazza belvedere (panoramic viewpoint), the terrace at the certosa garden level (235m) overlooking the Naples Bay): the most comprehensive single Naples panoramic view available at any accessible point in the city (the specific view composition: the Naples Bay from Pozzuoli in the west (the specific Flegrean Fields, the active volcanic zone north of Pozzuoli visible as the low-level steam and the specific Solfatara crater) through the Naples port (the Castel Nuovo (the Maschio Angioino) and the Santa Lucia waterfront) to the Vesuvius (the 1,281m volcanic cone that rises from the Ercolano direction in the south-east: the specific Vesuvius view from the Certosa di San Martino (the most historically resonant single Italian volcanic view, the same Vesuvius that the 79 AD eruption (the Pliny the Younger letters documenting the Pompeii catastrophe from the Misenum promontory northwest of Naples) destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum with) to the Sorrentine peninsula (the specific peninsula visible as the southern horizon line behind the Vesuvius): the most comprehensive single Bay of Naples view available from a publicly accessible point in the city. The specific morning visit recommendation (the Certosa terrace in the morning (before 10:00): the specific early morning light on the Vesuvius (the east-facing Vesuvius cone receives the sunrise light from the exact angle that the Certosa di San Martino terrace provides) and the specific pre-tourist-group atmosphere (the Certosa typically receives the tour groups between 10:30 and 12:30, the 9:00-10:30 visit window provides the most peaceful single Certosa terrace experience).
Certosa San Martino: skip-the-line & guided tours
Compare skip-the-line tickets and guided visits for Certosa San Martino.
See availability & prices →Compare tours on Viator →We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.The Fanzago Cloister and the Presepe Collection
Il Chiostro Grande di Cosimo Fanzago (the Fanzago Great Cloister, the specific architectural masterpiece of the Certosa di San Martino: the 64-column Baroque cloister (completed approximately 1631-1656) whose specific Fanzago marble decoration (the specific marble skull (the teschi (the death's head)) embedded in the cloister walkway floor at regular intervals (the specific Carthusian memento mori tradition, the skull as the permanent reminder of mortality that the Carthusian rule required in the monastic space), the specific marble balustrade (the specific interlaced white-gray marble balustrade design that Fanzago invented for the San Martino cloister and that became the defining Neapolitan Baroque architectural detail), and the specific Baroque portal decorations (the specific marble overdoors with the Fanzago characteristic combination of the white-marble relief with the inlaid polychrome marble (the commesso di marmi, the specific Baroque inlay technique that the Neapolitan Baroque tradition developed to its highest expression at the Certosa di San Martino)) makes the Fanzago Great Cloister the most technically accomplished single Italian Baroque cloister. The Presepe Collection (the specific Museo Nazionale di San Martino presepe (Christmas crib) collection: the largest and most historically important single Italian presepe collection, with the specific "Cuciniello Presepe" (the 1879 donation by the collector Michele Cuciniello of the specific 18th-century Neapolitan presepe (the 800-figure sculptural landscape depicting the Nativity scene surrounded by the specific 18th-century Naples street life (the specific Neapolitan figures: the pescatore (the fisherman), the maccaronaro (the pasta seller), the acquaiolo (the water carrier), and the specific noble and peasant figures in the specific 18th-century Neapolitan costume)) that the Museo Nazionale di San Martino displays as the permanent exhibition)). Open Thursday-Tuesday 9:00-18:00. Approximately €8. Museosanmartino.it for 2026 booking.
Q&A: Certosa di San Martino Naples
How do I get to the Certosa di San Martino from the Naples historic center?
By funicular (the most specifically scenic access): the Funicolare Centrale (from Via Toledo/Piazza Duca d'Aosta (the Toledo Metro station is 100m from the funicular lower station) to the Vomero (Piazza Fuga upper station): approximately 5 minutes for the funicular ride. Approximately €1.50 with the Campania Express ticket (the integrated Naples public transport ticket)): the Certosa di San Martino is 700m from Piazza Fuga funicular station (the specific walking route: from Piazza Fuga, Via Alessandro Scarlatti west to Via Enrico Pessina, then south to Largo San Martino and the Certosa entrance). The specific combined Certosa + Castel Sant'Elmo visit (the specific Vomero hill visit strategy: the Castel Sant'Elmo (the 14th-16th century Aragonese fortress immediately adjacent to the Certosa di San Martino, the hexagonal fortress whose specific star-shaped plan (the tufan volcanic stone walls in the specific hexagonal bastion arrangement) and whose specific Vomero summit position (the Sant'Elmo summit at 245m altitude (10m higher than the Certosa terrace) provides the most elevated single Naples panorama available at any accessible point in the city): the Certosa (2-3 hours) + the Castel Sant'Elmo (1 hour, approximately €5 admission) combined visit provides the most complete single Vomero hill cultural experience in 4 hours.
