Naples| Magic and Secular Neapolitan Christmas Nativity Traditions.

Naples is a wonderful city,a destination to live,discover and enjoy 365 day a year,its history and great  atmosphere characterised and highlighted by an eternal sunny environment beneath the iconic Vesuvius and with its beautiful maritime views from Posillipo and Vomero but also for those magic and secular Neapolitan Christmas Nativity traditions which are a part of the local historic culture of that cittá du sole the city of the sun which also has in its creativity a superb feature which with a simple object or  a phrase always generated something of extremely surprising.


At Christmas time Naples shows one of its wonderful cultural marvel the Presepe Napoletano,the Christmas Nativity famous worldwide for its artistic beauty,authentic masterpieces result of a secular and unique heritage patrimony.

Those works representing the birth of Jesus Christ started to be famous many centuries ago in that city and officially to be so famed in the 18th century in a Naples which was living as Capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies with Joaquin Murat as Sovereign and later continued under rule of the Royal Bourbons.

There are some debates about some "Presepi Napoletani" which  were born a long time before as one placed in the famous Chiesa Santa Maria del Presepe,the Church of St.Mary of the Nativity in the year 1025 date in which according some historic affirmations was set a sort of Holy Nativity in that iconic Religious site.

In the 13th century there were other representations as one created in woody area in the area of Greccio in the Northern Lazio in the county of Rieti not far from the borders the region Umbria.a work created by devoted and followers of St.Francis of Assisi and today that small municipality celebrates the event of the  Presepio Vivente,a live reconstruction with people protagonists of the Nativity remembering that tradition.

Others examples were also set in Rome in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore with works by the famed Tuscan sculptor Arnolfo da Cambio notorious for his several masterpieces in the Italian Capital among them a sculpture in bronze depicting St.Peter you can  admire in the Basilica of St.Peter in Vatican nowadays.

There are other documentations related to an ancient Nativity represented in the beautiful seaside town of Amalfi and others in Naples with a present offered by the Princess Sancha of Aragon to the Clarisses, the Poor Clares order of St.Claire and many others.

The Neapolitan sculpture school started to produce in the 15th century relevant examples representing that Christian event with some superb masterpieces in marble by Antonio Rossellino and the brothers Alemanno who were among the most distinguished artists in that period linked to that activity.

 Also other prominent figures as Pietro Belverte from Lombardy worked in Naples preparing 28 statues which were donated to the monks of the Church of San Domenico Maggiore and that is another episode certifying those secular Neapolitan Christmas Nativity traditions.The imagination and talent of those artists also gave origin to a first representation placed in a grotto with stones coming from Palestine.

Some years later concretely in the year 1532 the study linked to the use of new materials and a new emergent school represented by Domenico Impicciati changed several things.That character started to build  some small statue in terracotta and it was the beginning of a new era of the iconic Presepe Napoletano.

The stunning previous works by of Arnolfo da Cambio in Rome at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica were an example to follow and a model of an inspiration to create new artistic waves which found in Naples a perfect habitat but also other artists from different Italian areas came to that city to exhibit their talent.One of them among the most famous came from a town close to Vicenza in the region Veneto and called  Gaetano da Thiene who made a new kind of Nativity prepared for the Ospedale degli Incurabili.

In the early 17th century also the priests of the Order of the Mother of God of Pious made one with a sort of wooden mannequins which were provided by clothing made by fabric and pieces of different textiles materials.Those new figures replaced the stoned statues made by marble and terracotta and it was at the beginning of those new trends in which the Neapolitan Christmas Nativity was called Presepio Barocco,the Baroque Crib.

The reality of such representation wanted to be close to the reality and the mannequins were created at humane scale but due to some problems of space and collocation for the size some years later they were reduced in about 70-75 centimetres in high.

 In addition the priests thought to remove the Nativity scene at the end of the Epiphany the last date of the Christmas celebrations and then remounting all that to the following year.That was an innovative idea a new concept absorbed with positive results if you think in that period all the cribs were fixed in the original site all year.

The talent and the desire to improve the aspect of the figures of the cribs continued to generate new experiments and of course new trendy creations.Michele Perrone in 1640 modified the mannequins using for the construction of the bodies skeins of iron wire,coated tow and only keeping the head of those wooden figures.

Despite that the  Neapolitan culture after centuries of different examples created to surprise  with a considerable appreciation wanted something new,something  which would represent the local reality and not only the classic crib with the child Jesus,St Mary, Saint Joseph, the Three Kings Magi,the animals and the shepherds.

The innate creativity of a new generation of artists gave origin to the construction of new characters consisting in people who were part of the daily life such as innkeepers, bakers, butchers,shoemakers, blacksmiths,fishmongers with the addition of taverns,laboratories and places in which were developed the exercises of the such activities of those new characters.

The Crib had to be a representation of the humanity in a sort of theatrical image close to the true reality.The addition of rest of Roman and Greek columns,temples and agoras represented the victory of the Christian Religion over the Pagan and Polytheist faiths of those ancient cultures and that was the new concept which will change the history of the future sets.

The 18th century was certainly the golden ages of all that thanks to Giuseppe Sanmartino who was protagonist of a revival with the use of the terracotta once again.That return to the past in terms of material was improved by the image and movements of the figures,statues which were identical reproductions of real people,showing a figure in action,working or bringing in their hands something with happy expressions,smiling or with their mouth opened as to say something.

That Master was one of the pioneers of that great Neapolitan trend launching several young talented pupils who continued the magic tradition born in the city.Appreciated by nobles,aristocracy and Royal families,the high class started to want such beautiful works in their mansions and palaces wanting the best and they often called many prominent and specialised artisans in a sort of competition choosing the most attractive and beautiful work to place in their residences.

The Holy Crib was also placed in the famed and iconic Reggia di Caserta not far from Naples and Royal Residence and it was the clear example as the Presepio Napoletano came into the culture of the Nobility.In that majestic palace was set an impressive Christmas Nativity highlighted by the Kings Magi on the way to Bethlem,the Annunciation to the shepherds of Palestina and several figures representing humans and animals.

The Bourbons who were rulers at that time decided to have one in the magnificent hall called Sala della Racchetta one of the most emblematic and elegant lounges of the Royal Palace of Naples and furthermore they ordered to paint the ceiling in a blue sky colour to create a divine and scenic atmosphere ideal to host that holy representation.

The success of the Presepio Napoletano also crossed the borders of the Italian peninsula and one of the great admirers and a sort of promoter of those splendid masterpieces was Johan Wolfgang Von Goethe, prominent German writer who often visited Naples.

When that illustrious artist saw for the first time same marvels during one of his trips to that city in 1787 he was totally amazed for such creative compositions and much more for the expressions of the characters,the scenery,the colours and all what there was around such as buildings,animals and a natural environment prepared using natural original materials consisting in grass,stones,pieces of rocks and timber.

Goethe mentioned the Presepio Napoletano in a script exalting the beauty of such marvels accosting all that to the magnificent scenery that the city of Naples and adding to those masterpieces of art the image of the Vesuvius, the Gulf, the Vomero hill and the historic patrimony and monuments of Naples.

That emblematic icon of literature transmitted all that to the World and in his country in Germany today in the Bayerische National Museum is possible to admire a great collection of some of the best examples of Presepi Napoletani but that promotion reached soon other countries such as Sweden and later also USA where you can admire at Christmas period such stunning wonders.

The Cathedral of that movement understood as cultural core is certainly the Certosa di San Martino located on the Vomero Hill a beautiful district of the city of the Vesuvius.That magnificent Chartreuse,a former monastery close to Castel Sant´Elmo hosts in its museum all the chronological and detailed history  of all that and the development of that cultural tradition since its inception.

At Christmas time some of  the most emblematic cribs are displayed from time to time in Palazzo Reale,the Royal Palace in the central square Piazza Plebiscito and another one is the famous Presepio di Cuciniello dating back late 19th century at San Martino.

Those magnificent works also have particular figures representing the soul,spirit and identity of that beautiful centre.Those characters are linked between daily life and religion,the Fishmonger is a classic figure of a coastal city as Naples as clear representation of the fish an emblematic product symbol of the maritime essence of Naples and also presents in the multiplication of bread and fish in a notorious miracle by Jesus Christ narrated in the Sacred Christian scripts.

The Vinaio,the inn maker and Cicci Bacco a character who loves with passion wine represent the vendor of that beverage and the second is a figure with a flagon in his hands.The wine is symbol of the mystery of the Holy Eucharist while Cicci Bacco is the image of the sin corresponding to the vice of the God Bacchus who preached the drink as a foundation of life.

There are also others such as Zi´Vcienzo,the uncle Vincent and Zi´Pascale,uncle Pascal who  are two funny friends representing the folklore of the daily Neapolitan life.One of them is a sort of prophet able to predict the numbers of the extraction of the numbers of Lotto,a lottery winning a lot of money and the second listening him.In addition there is also the Gypsy who is the Neapolitan culture bad luck and others as  Benino,the Monk with next to other numerous figures represent sacred and profane images.

Via San Gregorio Armeno is a street considered the the "Louvre",the "Galleria degli Uffizi" of the Presepio Napoletano.That artery street situated in the old historic Naples in Spaccanapoli,part of the former and first ancient Greek-Roman Neapolis core is the shining highlight of all that.(If you are interested I wrote a post about Naples)

A walk along that magic hallway will show you the shops and the artisans workshops of the artists of those masterpieces.If you are in Naples you can not miss that spectacular promenade and a visit,it is a mine of pure talent and creativity in which you can admire all the fantastic works of a tradition started centuries ago and continuing today with a great success.

During Christian time Via San Gregorio Armeno is very busy and it is there that you can see unique things that only in Naples you can find.You can buy small statues of different size,mini statues of 5,6 cms,other bigger,painted in different colours made with different expressions and style depending of the talented imagination of the Masters.The reproductions follow the traditions launched in the 18th century and there you can find everything,the little child Jesus,the Virgin Mary,St.Joseph,camels and the Kings Magi among others.

The stunning imagination about the Nativity as mentioned before links the sacred to the profane and the Presepio Napoletano Masters also make figures of distinguished people related to several areas such as Politic,Entertainment,Sport,Culture,History and also gossip.

Linked to all that you can find splendid small statues representing the Pope or the Presidents of France,Usa and Italy,prominent figures of Royal Families,footballers and Cinema stars or also masks as that local and famous character of Pulcinella among others.


Many distinguished Neapolitan families of artists continue generation by generation that superb school such as Ferrigno,Capuano,Gambardella,Di Virgilio among others.All them were and are often awarded in Italy,Europe and in the World for their magnificent artistic masterpieces.That street is considered a "anima e Napule" a soul of Naples and Via San Gregorio Armeno is also as a sort of urban legend in its kind.

It is highly suggested all to visit Naples for its long history,art,traditions and culture and that splendid city offers that further opportunity.That Southern Italian centre is always a great destination,everyday every time and also in special times as that of the advent and during Christmas time an occasion more to decide to visit it.

Certainly it is a magnificent chance to know and learn more a culture linked to that kind of fabulous artistic jewels,the Magic and Secular Neapolitan Christmas Nativity traditions represent the birth of Jesus Christ but also they were born to surprise the visitor so welcome to admire something simply special and so difficult to forget.

Francesco Mari



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