During the Aragonese reign, in the middle of the actual piazza, it rose the Convent of San Luigi, founded by San Francesco di Paola (Saint Francis from Paola) who settled in Naples when he returned from his legendary pilgrimage to the King of France. An anecdote tells that the Saint, answering to the objections raised by King Ferrante who suggested him to choose another place, predicted that it will have become "the most magnificent place in the city". The monastery was definitively destroyed during the early years of 19th century, in order to make space for the forum ordered by the Napoleonic government, during the French Decade (1805-15), with the semielliptical colonnade in neoclassic style projected by Leopoldo Laperuta.

After the Bourbon's return, Ferdinand IV King of Naples (I as King of Two Sicilies) decided to keep those works, but turning their celebrative significance to advantage of the restoration of monarchy. So he made built in the middle of the colonnade (in front of the Royal Palace) the Basilica dedicated to San Francesco di Paola, not only because he was traditionally loved and venerated by the Neapolitans, but also for the reason that he was the founder of the convent destroyed in order to make place for the Napoleonic forum.  [ More...]