Catacombs of San Gaudioso

Beneath the Basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità in Naples, the Catacombs of San Gaudioso preserve an early Christian burial site linked to the North African bishop buried here in the 5th century. A guided visit takes you through underground passages lined with frescoes and mosaics, including the Madonna della Sanità and painted images of skeletons. The site is in the Sanità neighborhood, and a combined ticket also includes the Catacombs of San Gennaro, making it a useful choice if you want to see both burial complexes.

A burial site beneath the basilica

The catacombs lie below the Basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità, in Naples’ Sanità neighborhood. The burial site is associated with Saint Gaudioso, a bishop from North Africa who died in Naples. He was buried here in 453, and the place became a site of veneration.

The complex grew in importance during the 5th century. Its underground passages preserve evidence of early Christian burial customs, alongside artwork added over later centuries.

Frescoes and burial practices

Look for the Madonna della Sanità fresco and painted skeletons among the catacombs’ notable works. Frescoes and mosaics from the 5th and 6th centuries survive here, alongside sculptures dating to the construction of the basilica.

One distinctive burial practice involved placing the deceased’s skulls in recesses in the walls of the ambulatory. A guided visit helps explain the site’s art and burial traditions. Photography is prohibited inside, so plan to take in the details without a camera.