 In 1647 the square was the site of battles between rebels and royal troops during Masaniello's revolt, and later, in 1799, it was the scene of the mass execution of leaders of the Neapolitan Republic of 1799.The area – including parts of the church premises – was heavily bombed in World War II and still shows the scars of the devastation.The old monastic grounds adjacent to the church now serve as a shelter for the needy and homeless.