The Royal Palace and Park of Capodimonte in Naples

From the heights of the Capodimonte woods, the Royal Palace commissioned by Charles of Bourbon overlooks the Gulf of Naples. The vast park, meticulously maintained, is the **favorite spot for Neapolitans to walk on winter Sunday mornings or summer evenings, when people go there to enjoy the cool air and find some relief from the heat that afflicts the city. The Capodimonte Palace today houses the Capodimonte Museum, one of the most important art collections in Europe. Here, works by Titian, Caravaggio, Botticelli, Goya, Masaccio, Carracci, Bruegel, Mantegna, and many others are displayed.

Until the construction of the Palace, Naples'

Capo di Monte

was a vast forest where in 1734 Charles of Bourbon, King of Naples, had a hunting lodge built for his hunting escapades.

Like many other Bourbons, Charles loved to fish and hunt, and it was thanks to this

bloody

passion that he restored some important natural areas and built beautiful hunting lodges. Not only Capodimonte, but also the Lodge on Lake Fusaro and the one in Carditello.

In 1738 the sovereign decided to transform this simple hunting lodge into a Palace to host the rich Farnese Collection that his mother had gifted him. The task was entrusted to Giovanni Antonio Medrano, who designed a building with two austere Doric facades where the traditional **

Neapolitan red

contrasts with grey piperno.

Today, the Royal Palace of Capodimonte is entirely dedicated to its role as a Museum, which occupies three floors: on the first floor is the Historical Apartment and the rich Farnese collection; on the second floor is the gallery showcasing Neapolitan works from the 17th to the 18th century; on the third floor is the collection of 19th-century works and contemporary art.

The Capodimonte Woods is the only large green lung of the city of Naples. Remaining intact with respect to its 18th-century structure, it offers splendid walks to enjoy some fresh air away from the chaos of the center or to rest in the shade of trees after a long visit to the Capodimonte Museum.

The Woods is the result of Charles of Bourbon's great passion for hunting and botany, which led him to commission the architect Ferdinando Sanfelice in 1742 to design the one hundred and twenty-four hectares of the park, which even today is rich with ancient trees such as oaks, chestnuts, elms, and linden trees.

But a walk in the Capodimonte Woods also offers surprises: among the trees, important buildings emerge occasionally, such as the ancient site of the porcelain factory, the Queen's Casino, and the Capuchin Monastery.

The small palace is located right in front of the Royal Palace and existed here even before Charles of Bourbon decided on its construction. Owned by the Carmignano family, Marquises of Acquaviva, it was considered one of the most beautiful summer lodges existing on the Capodimonte hill. In 1826, Francesco I wanted to transform it into the residence of the Royal Princes. In the lawn in front of the Palace, dwarf and Canary palms were introduced during the early decades of the 20th century.

The great tradition of Capodimonte porcelain, famous worldwide, began in this old building that from 1743 to 1759 housed the famous "Royal Porcelain Factory" of Capodimonte. A reminder of this origin is the mark (Bourbon lily) that is still stamped today on ceramics from this region. The Factory is home to the State Professional Institute "Giovanni Caselli" for industry and crafts, the only one in Italy tasked with training personnel and specialized technicians in the ceramics sector.

The most beautiful place to admire Naples. On clear days, one can see to Punta Campanella on the Sorrento Coast from here. It is no coincidence that it is called the "View of Naples."

A bit off the beaten paths of the woods lies the Capuchin Monastery, built at the behest of King Ferdinand who in 1815, returning from Sicily with the title of First King of the Two Sicilies, wanted to honor a vow for the reconquest of the kingdom by ordering the construction of the monastery on the site where the old building of the 'Fagianeria' was located. The complex includes sleeping quarters for monks, a church, two gardens with fruit trees, and a small cemetery.

It is one of the most important buildings in the woods because it was meant for the stop of princes and royals during hunts and for the "intimate" gatherings of ladies and court knights. This area of the park is called 'bell'aria'. Here, exotic plant species (melaleuca, acacia, eucalyptus) were planted alongside native species (carob trees and pine trees) in an environment already characterized by lush and varied spontaneous vegetation (groves of oaks). Attached to the Casino was a precious 18th-century walled garden, of which remains the collection of citrus fruits.

Between the Palace of the Princes and the Stables stands the Porta di Mezzo, the first grand access to the royal site from which five avenues depart with a beautiful scenic effect, leading into the woods. The central avenue, 1.25 km long, is also called "Vialone del Gigante" due to the presence of the colossal statue placed at its end. The trees along the avenue are arranged to create a green gallery, in harmony with the taste of the time that viewed nature not as an enemy of man but as an element that reason could dominate and harmonize.