The Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Pizzofalcone is located on Pizzofalcone Hill, in Piazza Santa Maria degli Angeli. The place of worship was founded in 1587, when the noblewoman Costanza Doria del Carretto donated a palace to the Theatine Fathers. The religious, thanks also to other donations received, bought other surrounding buildings and in 1600 began the construction of the church, under the direction of the Theatine architect Francesco Grimaldi, who completed the task in 1610, while from 1627 the addition of the decorations began. In 1684 the facade was completed, and between 1705 and 1707 new stucco decorations, statues and the three piperno entrance portals, preceded by marble and piperno steps, were added. In 1775 the facade was restored, but the work disfigured the original appearance designed by Grimaldi. The interior is decorated with paintings by Giordano, and Andrea Vaccaro. The central nave and transept ceilings were frescoed Scenes from the Life of the Virgin (1668-1675) by Giovanni Battista Beinaschi. The Cupola was frescoed with a Coronation of the Virgin. Some of these frescoes suffered damage from aerial bombing during the second World War. Francesco Maria Caselli painted the large canvases in the apse and transept. In the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception is a canvas depicting the Virgin by Massimo Stanzione, while Giovanni Bernardo Azzolino decorated the first and third chapels on the left side. In the choir is a canvas of San Gaetano (1662) by Luca Giordano. The main altar by Giovanni Battista Broggia was made in Neoclassic style. It has a canvas by Paolo De Matteis depicting Sant'Andrea in Extasis.
