Fodor's Expert Review Gesù Nuovo
A stunning architectural contrast to the plain Romanesque frontage of other nearby churches, the strikingly austere, recently restored (2023) stone facade of this elaborate Baroque church dates to the late 16th century. Originally a palace, the building was seized by Pedro of Toledo in 1547 and sold to the Jesuits with the condition the facade remain intact. Behind the entrance is Francesco Solimena’s action-packed Heliodorus’ Eviction from the Temple. You can find the work of familiar Baroque sculptors (Naccherino, Finelli) and painters inside. The gracious Visitation above the altar in the second chapel on the right is by Massimo Stanzione, who also contributed the fine frescoes in the main nave: they're in the presbytery (behind and around the main altar).
