The church of Saints James and Christopher is the most important monument of Capodimonte and is located on the Bisentina Island.
It was built in 1588 by the nephew of Pope Paul III who wanted it as a family mausoleum.
The building was constructed in place of a small chapel which already contained the remains of family members.
Although traditionally the project was of Vignola, by then, Vignola was already dead and it is likely that the architect Giovanni Antonio Viggiù, a pupil of Vignola, was employed.
The facade is divided into two floors with the coat of arms of Cardinal Farnese above the portal.
The interior is a single nave with a Latin cross plan and the building has an octagonal dome that ends with a lantern.
At the sides, two stone portals give access to the choir stalls.
In the church is the sarcophagus in marble of Ranuccio Farnese the Elder, attributed to the sculptor Isaiah from Pisa.
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