First built in 1238 , in the Swabian era , and given in gratitude to merchants from the Republic of Pisa , who had recently been victorious in a battle against a Saracen navy . At the beginning of the 15th century the church was turned over to the knights of the Order of the Spade ( Ordine della Spada ) . Subsequently circa 1575 , the church and the order of the Spada was forbidden to carry out their investitures by the viceroy Íñigo López de Hurtado de Mendoza , and the ceremonies were moved to the San Giacomo degli Spagnoli . In 1775 , the church was granted to the '' Complementari '' , who restored the church in a Baroque style . The present church of San Giacomo was reconstructed by reopening an alternative older portal , surmounted by a coat of arms of a shell with crossed swords . Due to the damage from the bombardment of 1943 and the Irpinia earthquake of 1980 , the building is not longer consecrated , and used for temporary art exhibitions . The interior artwork has been moved elsewhere
Irpinia earthquake of 1980
1980 Irpinia earthquake
San Giacomo degli Italiani