The Palazzo Orsini di Gravina is a

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...

-style palace on number 3 Via Monteoliveto, in the San Lorenzo quarter of Rione San Giuseppe-Carità, of central

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

. Since 1940, it has housed the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Naples. It is located across the street and a few doors north of the sleek and modern Palazzo delle Poste (Post Office). Across the street at the north end of the palace, is the Piazza Monteoliveto with its Fountain and the church of

Sant'Anna dei Lombardi Sant'Anna dei Lombardi, ( it, St. Anne of the Lombards), and also known as Santa Maria di Monte Oliveto, is an ancient church and convent located in ''piazza Monteoliveto'' in central Naples, Italy. Across Monteoliveto street from the Fountain in ...

History

The palace was commissioned by the nobleman Ferdinando Orsini, who acquired lands from the nearby Santa Chiara. The first two stories of the façade were built from 1513 to 1549. The palace has changed hands many times over the centuries, and with some interludes, was linked with the prominent Orsini family till the 19th century. One of the members of the family became

Pope Benedict XIII Pope Benedict XIII ( la, Benedictus XIII; it, Benedetto XIII; 2 February 1649 – 21 February 1730), born Pietro Francesco Orsini and later called Vincenzo Maria Orsini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 May ...

in 1724. From there it passed to private hands and to the Bourbon monarchy, and became government offices, till becoming part of the University.

Architecture

Napoli_-ParticolareingressoPalazzo_Gravina

The original architect is not certain, although sources claim the architect was the little known Gabriele d'Angelo. It is known that Giovanni Francesco di Palma worked on some of the external decorations during 1548 and 1549. The main facade, on Via Monteoliveto, has a rusticated stone brick base for a first floor. The second floor has marble-framed windows surmounted by circular niches with busts. The tall windows rise on a marble cornice, and are separated by Piperno rock pilasters with mixed doric-corinthian capitals. The ensemble breaths an elegant sobriety akin to that of contemporary palaces in Rome, such as the Palazzo Vidoni Caffarelli. The entrance portal was designed and built by Mario Gioffredo in 1766. During this time, the interior was frescoed by

Giuseppe Bonito Giuseppe Bonito (11 January 1707 – 9 May 1789) was a Neapolitan painter of the Rococo period. Giuseppe Bonito is known for genre depictions on canvas. Many of Gaspare Traversi's paintings had previously been attributed to Bonito. Biograph ...

, Francesco de Mura, and Fedele Fischetti. In addition, a fourth wing to close the central courtyard was completed. The palace underwent restorations after a fire during the revolution of 1848 severely damaged the palace; the architect was Gaetano Genovesi. A third floor with balconies was added in the 19th century; these were removed in the 20th century and the circular niches with busts restored.Napoligrafia
entry on the palace.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Orsini di Gravina, Naples Palaces in Naples Orsini family 1549 establishments in Italy Renaissance architecture in Naples Buildings and structures completed in 1549