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MUSEUMS
IN CASERTA
REGGIA DI CASERTA
(ROYAL PALACE OF CASERTA)
The complex is situated on
the extreme western side of Caserta, in a place where until
1752, only a small village named La Torre existed. The construction
of the Royal Palace was inserted into the great reorganization
works of the Reign of Naples, on the wishes of Carlo of Bourbon,
around 1734. The works began on 20th January 1752: the choice
of location, distant from the City, was also due to the fact
that Naples had previously been attacked by English fleets
from the port side – 1742 – and therefore, the
transfer inland of all the political and bureaucratic structures
seemed safer. The project was by Luigi Vanvitelli, a famous
18th Century architect, as well as the son of the Dutch artist
Caspar van Wittel. With regards to the external parts, the
works ended in 1774, but economic difficulties and diverse
dynastic decisions, halted the carrying out of the original
project; which in the meantime was also taken over by the
son of the architect, Carlo. The Royal Palace, with its rectangular
layout, is enormous and has a perimeter of 247x190 metres;
there was once a particular phase in which not less than 10,000
people were working at the same time, like stone cutters,
bricklayers, decorators, artists and artisans of every kind.
It’s 41 metres in height, and has five floors and four
internal courtyards, and contains 1,200 rooms, 34 staircases
between the main and service ones and can count 1,742 windows.
The halls, the great staircase of honour, the Palatina Chapel,
the Court Theatre (dating back to the first phase of works
and carrying the full mark of Luigi Vanvitelli), the throne
room and the Royal apartments are all of particular interest.
The internal style is Rococo and Neo-Classicism. The Park
is also rightly famous and extends behind the Palace, occupying
an area of 120 acres (the length of the main axis begins behind
the Terrena Gallery of the Palace, and is 3 km). Lakes, waterfalls
decorated with sculptures, fountains and small lanes alternate
with evocative views. The garden is partly Italian and partly
English. |
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