Unfortunately, decay has taken over an important part of the city, in the heart of Naples during the tourism boom. We are talking about the obelisk in Piazza del Gesù: the spire of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been trapped by a containment net since last spring. Meanwhile, according to reports from traders in the area, “the place has become a rubbish dump.”
Talking is Anna Arenella, from ‘O Munaciello restaurant. After all, it is enough to walk beside the monument to realize that weeds have permanently occupied almost the entire space separating the historic obelisk from the barrier. Laura Lieto, deputy mayor and member of the municipal planning board of Palazzo San GiacomoHowever, he confirmed that work would start in less than a month. Il Mattino will closely follow the evolution of the story that concerns a site that is too important, because of its location and its history, to be left alone. Piazza del Gesù this is, in every sense, one of Napoli’s main business cards.
HISTORY
Let’s tie the ribbon again and tell the origin of the covering of the obelisk, whose track has been tied for years with a retaining net. In spring, Municipal Council 2 member Pino De Stasio he sent complaints “concerning the risks which loomed and still loom over the spire”, he himself recalled. «Once again – we read in the complaint – I am forced to point out the serious state of degradation that the spire of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Piazza del Gesù is experiencing. The famous baroque monument was already affected several years ago due to security measures, with metal nets installed over statues and marbles, to prevent parts from falling off and endangering those crossing the square. Recently the monument was hit by some falling marble material. Firefighters intervened, activating safety protocols, using red plastic netting and metal poles, limiting the area of the fall. I request with great urgency the intervention of the relevant services and civil protection to restore security to the place, this is to avoid a sudden tragedy, considering that a few meters away there are two state schools attended by hundreds of young people”. The entrance to the Liceo Genovesi, as we know, is only a few meters from the top of the tower of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Obstacle
Anna Arenella, the restaurant’s owner, sent a video to Il Mattino yesterday. The area of Piazza del Gesù was filled with people and the image refers to the parties taking place on the occasion of Carnival 2025. The restaurant owner recalled that “barriers were put up a few days later. On the occasion of the celebration, fireworks were shot in full force in Piazza del Gesù. Barriers around the monument were then installed in April.”
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TOURIST
All this, in an area that is certainly among the most visible in the UNESCO historic center, for tourists and Neapolitans. Therefore, cultural construction sites in the historic center are underway and the heart of Naples is in full swing. Among the good examples, we remember that this place was recently restored, in all its splendor,Port’Alba arch (with work carried out by the Municipality in via dei libri after an ad hoc campaign by Il Mattino. The only scaffolding and operations still in progress are on the side of Piazza Dante, in front of the door erected by Antonio de Toledo exactly 400 years ago). Even the Piazza del Gesù is not generally abandoned: restoration operations continue Santa Chiara bell tower and work on new public toilets is almost complete. However, the spire is still in disrepair. At least for now. In fact, as mentioned, Laura Lieto intervened in the topic, assuring that the restoration of the obelisk is at an advanced planning stage: «Work on the spire of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – explained the deputy mayor – should begin after December 8. To achieve this, resources of 950 thousand euros have been allocated.” This will be an important restoration, and also necessary, given the absolute centrality of the monument.
