Royal Palace (Naples)
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The Royal Palace of Naples () is a historic building located in Piazza del Plebiscito, in the historic center of
Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
, Italy. Although the main entrance is located in this square, there are other accesses to the complex, which also includes the gardens and the
Teatro di San Carlo The Real Teatro di San Carlo ("Royal Theatre of Saint Charles"), as originally named by the Bourbon monarchy but today known simply as the Teatro (di) San Carlo, is a historic opera house in Naples, Italy, connected to the Royal Palace and ...
, from the Piazza Trieste e Trento, Piazza del Municipio and Via Acton. The palace was built from 1600 onwards by the architect Domenico Fontana as the residence of the Spanish viceroys, and in the mid-17th century Francesco Antonio Picchiatti made numerous improvements and interventions, such as the staircase and the chapel. Charles of Bourbon made it, from 1734, the main residence of the Bourbons of Naples for more than a hundred years, first as kings of Naples and Sicily (1734–1816) and later as kings of the Two Sicilies (1816–1861). It was also the residence of
Joseph Bonaparte Joseph Bonaparte (born Giuseppe di Buonaparte, ; ; ; 7 January 176828 July 1844) was a French statesman, lawyer, diplomat and older brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. During the Napoleonic Wars, the latter made him King of Naples (1806–1808), an ...
and
Joachim Murat Joachim Murat ( , also ; ; ; 25 March 1767 – 13 October 1815) was a French Army officer and statesman who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Under the French Empire he received the military titles of Marshal of the ...
during French rule (1806–1815), under which extensive redecorations were carried out. The Bourbons made important and constant modifications to the interiors of the palace, relying on great artists such as Francesco de Mura or
Francesco Solimena Francesco Solimena (4 October 1657 – 3 April 1747) was a prolific Italian Baroque painter, one of an established family of painters and draughtsmen. Biography Francesco Solimena was born in Canale di Serino in the province of Avellino. H ...
. However, after the fire of 1837, the palace had to be almost completely rebuilt by Gaetano Genovese, who finished the unfinished wings and gave a homogeneous appearance to the entire complex. After the
Italian unification The unification of Italy ( ), also known as the Risorgimento (; ), was the 19th century political and social movement that in 1861 ended in the annexation of various states of the Italian peninsula and its outlying isles to the Kingdom of ...
(1861) it passed into the hands of the
Savoy Savoy (; )  is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south and west and to the Aosta Vall ...
, until
Victor Emmanuel III Victor Emmanuel III (; 11 November 1869 – 28 December 1947) was King of Italy from 29 July 1900 until his abdication on 9 May 1946. A member of the House of Savoy, he also reigned as Emperor of Ethiopia from 1936 to 1941 and King of the Albani ...
ceded it to the state in 1919. From the late 19th century, the western half of the palace was opened to the public as a museum of the Royal Apartment, and in 1924 its eastern half became the home of the
National Library A national library is a library established by a government as a country's preeminent repository of information. Unlike public library, public libraries, these rarely allow citizens to borrow books. Often, they include numerous rare, valuable, ...
, uses that continue today.


History


Background

At the end of the Aragonese domination, the
Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples (; ; ), officially the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was established by the War of the Sicilian Vespers (1282–1302). Until ...
entered into the expansionist objectives of the French and the Spanish: both powers divided the territory with the signing of the
Treaty of Granada (1500) The Treaty of Granada (1500), signed on 11 November 1500, was a secret treaty between Ferdinand II of Aragon and Louis XII of France, in which they agreed to partition the Kingdom of Naples. Drawn up in the context of the wider Italian Wars, th ...
. In any case, the treaty was not respected and under the command of the Great Captain
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba (1 September 1453 – 2 December 1515) was a Spanish general and statesman. He led military campaigns during the Conquest of Granada and the Italian Wars, after which he served as Viceroy of Naples. For his e ...
the Spanish conquered the kingdom in 1503, thus beginning the
Spanish viceroyalty A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the Anglo-Norman_language, Anglo-Nor ...
. Although this period, which lasted more than two hundred years, has been considered a dark and devolutionary period, but in fact the city enjoyed a notable cultural ferment and a dynamic bourgeoisie, as well as a cutting-edge merchant fleet, capable of competing with those of
Seville Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...
and
Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...
. Under the command of Pedro Álvarez de Toledo y Zúñiga, the construction of a viceregal palace was decided, designed by the architects
Ferdinando Manlio Ferdinando Manlio (died in 1570) was an Italian sculptor, architect and urban planner of the Renaissance, active in Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rom ...
and Giovanni Benincasa. The construction of the palace began in 1543 and was completed shortly afterwards. The new palace was born at a time when the viceroys dedicated their efforts to the urban reorganization of Italian cities: in Naples, the walls and forts were remodeled and the so-called '' Quartieri Spagnoli'' were built.


Construction (1600–1616)

When Fernando Ruiz de Castro, count of Lemos, arrived in the city as viceroy Together with his wife, Catalina de Zúñiga, he decided to build a new palace. The official argument to justify its construction was to honor
Philip III of Spain Philip III (; 14 April 1578 – 31 March 1621) was King of Spain and King of Portugal, Portugal (where he is known as Philip II of Portugal) during the Iberian Union. His reign lasted from 1598 until his death in 1621. He held dominion over the S ...
by hosting him solemnly in view of an imminent visit by the monarch that, in the end, never took place. However, contemporary analysis indicates that the viceroy knew that Philip III had never intended to move his court to Naples and that the palace was actually built to satisfy the viceroy's own wishes. The area chosen for the new construction was located at the western end of the city, on the hill of Pizzofalcone, in a position that allowed the port to be dominated and that would facilitate an escape route for the king in case of an enemy attack. There it would be next to the Viceregal Palace, using, in fact, part of its gardens, and next to the
Castel Nuovo Castel Nuovo (; ; 'New Castle'), often called Maschio Angioino (; ; ' Angevin Keep'), is a medieval castle located in front of Piazza Municipio and the city hall ( Palazzo San Giacomo) in central Naples, Campania, Italy. Its scenic location and ...
, the former royal residence, reinforcing the courtly character of the area. The choice of this location was also encouraged by the fact that the city was expanding towards the west: in this way, with such an important building in the vicinity, the price of land in the areas of Pizzofalcone and
Chiaia Chiaia (, ) is an affluent neighbourhood on the seafront in Naples, Italy, bounded by Piazza Vittoria on the east and Mergellina on the west. Chiaia is one of the wealthiest districts in Naples, and many luxury brands have shops on its main stree ...
would increase. The project was entrusted to Domenico Fontana, considered at the time the most prestigious architect in the western world, who held the position of chief engineer of the kingdom. Fontana had fallen into disgrace a few years earlier, due to the death of
Sixtus V Pope Sixtus V (; 13 December 1521 – 27 August 1590), born Felice Piergentile, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 April 1585 to his death, in August 1590. As a youth, he joined the Franciscan order, where h ...
in 1590, the pope who had commissioned him to carry out numerous works in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
. The first stone was laid in 1600, in the square that, in those years, bore the name of ''Piazza San Luigi. ''The final project for the palace was published by Fontana in 1604 under the title ''Dichiarazione del Nuevo Regio Palagio.'' However, the original plans used by the architect to begin the work were lost and, in fact, Fontana himself lamented this: In any case, a plan drawn by Giovanni Giacomo is preserved in Rome, probably before 1651, which shows how the palace was intended to have been according to the architect's first wishes. In any case, the original design does not seem to have differed too much from its final appearance, although undeniable modifications were made during its construction. In this design, both the main west and north facades were the same, while a C-shaped structure was supposed to have been built along the south side facing the sea. This design was so popular that, even though the palace was still under construction, the press of the time often depicted it as it was in the plans rather than as it was actually being built. Domenico Fontana was so enthusiastic about the project he had been commissioned to do that he had the following inscriptions inscribed on two columns of the façade: However, only the main façade of this project was completed; while the south-east arm was not built and the south façade remained unfinished and disordered until it was completed in 1843. The architectural style developed by the architect was late Renaissance, with a central courtyard and an interior
loggia In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior Long gallery, gallery or corridor, often on an upper level, sometimes on the ground level of a building. The corridor is open to the elements because its outer wall is only parti ...
on the first floor, thus adapting the project to the demands of the time; that is, to a function of ostentation rather than a fortified residence. It also had a large square located right in front of the palace for military parades and public events. The works were carried out diligently both under the mandate of the Count of Lemos and under that of his son and successor Francisco Ruiz de Castro. Under Viceroy Juan Alonso Pimentel de Herrera, Count of Benavente, the works slowed down, probably due to the limited availability of resources after the wars and crises that hit
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
or even as a matter of honour: the Pimentels showed little interest in completing a work begun by the Ruiz de Castro. In 1607, after the death of his father, Giulio Cesare Fontana took over the direction of the works. The construction of the palace continued rapidly, until in 1610 Pedro Fernández de Castro, also the son of Fernando Ruiz de Castro, was appointed viceroy. In 1616, the new headquarters of the
university A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
was built at the end of Via Toledo, that is, at the opposite end to the site on which the Royal Palace was being built. It was named Palazzo degli Studi and would be the future headquarters of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. Thanks to some notes by Alessandro Beratta and the writings in a travel diary by Confalonieri, we have evidence of the state of the works in that year: From this writing, it is clear that the work was almost finished at that time. Shortly afterwards, although the exact date is not known, the interior decoration work began with the execution of the paintings by Giovanni Battista Caracciolo, Belisario Corenzio and Giovanni Balducci.


The Viceregal Period (1616–1734)

From the time the palace was completed, it was inhabited by 22 Spanish viceroys and 11 Austrian viceroys. Far from remaining unchanged, the Royal Palace continued to transform itself according to the tastes of each viceroy. The
Duke of Alba Duke of Alba de Tormes (), commonly known as Duke of Alba, is a title of Spanish nobility that is accompanied by the dignity of Grandee of Spain. In 1472, the title of ''Count of Alba de Tormes'', inherited by García Álvarez de Toledo, wa ...
(1622–1629) was commissioned to finish some vaults begun by the Count of Lemos and dedicate them to the family glories. The Palatine Chapel was completed under the Duke of Medina de las Torres, from 1646 to 1648, with a large altarpiece by
José de Ribera Jusepe de Ribera (; baptised 17 February 1591 – 3 November 1652) was a Spanish painter and printmaker. Ribera, Francisco de Zurbarán, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, and the singular Diego Velázquez, are regarded as the major artists of Spani ...
; in 1656 the
stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and ...
work on the vault of the interdeux of the windows was carried out, which had to be redone after 1688 due to an earthquake that collapsed the roof. They were not finished until 1705. Under the government of Íñigo Vélez de Guevara el Mozo, Count of Oñate, the original two-ramp staircase of Fontana, judged undignified, was completely renovated by Francesco Antonio Picchiatti, following the wishes of the Count of Oñate, the works took place from 1651 to 1666. The two main rooms of the palace were also redecorated: the "Great Hall" and the "Hall of the Viceroys", which began to be adorned with portraits of the viceroys from 1503. Exteriorly, between 1666 and 1671, when Pedro Antonio de Aragón was in power, the most notable addition took place with the construction of a small pavilion facing the sea, the so-called Belvedere, which would serve as a bedroom for the viceroys and later for the Bourbon sovereigns. Attached to it was a small garden terrace that grew over the decades to become the current "hanging gardens or Belvedere gardens". From 18 April to 2 June 1702, Philip V visited Naples, being therefore the first and only Spanish sovereign to stay in a palace originally intended to receive Philip III. In 1707 the Austrians took the city in the midst of the
War of the Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict fought between 1701 and 1714. The immediate cause was the death of the childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700, which led to a struggle for control of the Spanish E ...
, beginning the government of the Austrian viceroys that did not bring substantial changes to the palace.


The first Bourbons (1734–1806)

In May 1734 Charles of Bourbon entered Naples, the city became, once again, the capital of an autonomous kingdom and not a viceroyalty. The new king found the Royal Palace empty and dilapidated, since, since its construction, it had been normal for viceroys to move in with their furniture and, once their mandate had ended, to take it with them. This was done by the last Austrian viceroys, Giulio Visconti Borromeo Arese, in March 1734. All that remained in the palace were the magnificent painted vaults made by Neapolitan artists of the 17th century. The renovation works were directed by the military engineer Giovanni Antonio Medrano, later architect of the Royal Palace of Portici, and initially focused on the king's apartments facing the Piazza della Repubblica. Although the works were completed in 1740, by 1738, the year of Charles's wedding with
Maria Amalia of Saxony Maria Amalia (Maria Amalia Christina Franziska Xaveria Flora Walburga; 24 November 1724 – 27 September 1760) was Queen of Spain from 10 August 1759 until her death in 1760 as the wife of King Charles III. Previously, she had been Queen of Nap ...
, they were almost ready. The palace was then structured around two main rooms or apartments: * the King's Apartment facing the square and composed of: the Great Hall or Royal Room, the Room of the Guard of Corps, the Room of the Officers, the Antechamber of the Titleholders, the Room of the Hand-Kissing or of the Throne, the Gallery, the Room "where His Majesty dresses", the "secret" Chapel of His Majesty, the Belvedere Room or where the king sleeps, the "toilet" and the Room "where His Majesty's valet sleeps". * the Queen's Apartment facing the sea and composed of: the Room of the Viceroys, the Room of the Guard of Corps, the Second Antechamber, the Room of the Kissing Hands, the Room of the Alcove or where the queen sleeps, the Oratory, the "toilet", the Chambermaids' Room and the Queen's Boudoir. In general, in this first reform, the works that evoked the history of Naples and its Spanish past were preserved as a sign of historical prestige, while those that referred to the Austrian period were destroyed. From 1735 to 1738, large celebratory frescoes were commissioned from Neapolitan late Baroque painters such as
Francesco Solimena Francesco Solimena (4 October 1657 – 3 April 1747) was a prolific Italian Baroque painter, one of an established family of painters and draughtsmen. Biography Francesco Solimena was born in Canale di Serino in the province of Avellino. H ...
, Nicola Maria Rossi, Francesco de Mura and Domenico Vaccaro. For example, Rossi painted a fresco celebrating the taking of Gaeta in 1734 in the "Room where His Majesty dresses" (Room IX); Solimena painted another fresco of the king on horseback in the "Room of the Viceroys" (Room XXII), covering up an earlier one of
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI (; ; 1 October 1685 – 20 October 1740) was Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Austrian Habsburg monarchy from 1711 until his death, succeeding his elder brother, Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor, Joseph I. He unsuccessfully War of ...
; and de Mura painted another fresco of large proportions in the "Room of the Guard" (Room II) celebrating marital virtues following the royal wedding. Finally, the sovereign redecorated the interior of the palace with sumptuous marble and silk hangings. During the reign of Charles of Bourbon, the Royal Palace of Naples was a meeting place for the French lifestyle, Spanish tradition and Italian artistic culture. During the minority of Ferdinand IV, from 1759 to 1767, it is worth highlighting the progressive extension of the palace towards the east (towards the Castel Nuovo), with the construction, around 1760, of the eastern wing that ran parallel to the so-called "Steward's Apartment" facing the sea and the hanging gardens systematized around 1740. Following these extensions, two interior courtyards called "de "the Carriages" and "the Belvedere". There were also important decorative changes, such as the extension in 1763 of the Belvedere Wing facing the sea with the "daily bedroom of His Majesty", four private cabinets and the king's study; most of the rooms decorated with frescoes by Giuseppe Bonito. However, the most notable reform, coinciding with the end of the minority and the marriage of the King to the Archduchess
Maria Carolina of Austria Maria Carolina of Austria (Maria Carolina Louise Josepha Johanna Antonia; 13 August 1752 – 8 September 1814) was Queen of Naples and Sicily as the wife of King Ferdinand IV and III, who later became King of the Two Sicilies. As ''de facto' ...
in May 1768, was the transformation of the Spanish-era "Grand Hall" into a late-baroque court theatre by Ferdinando Fuga. From 1780 onwards, the interest of Ferdinand IV and Maria Carolina turned to the Caserta Palace, where their apartments had been completed. From then on, the court would spend at least half the year outside Naples.


The Bonapartes (1806–1815)

The arrival of the French in 1806 and the beginning of the reigns of
Joseph Bonaparte Joseph Bonaparte (born Giuseppe di Buonaparte, ; ; ; 7 January 176828 July 1844) was a French statesman, lawyer, diplomat and older brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. During the Napoleonic Wars, the latter made him King of Naples (1806–1808), an ...
(1806–1808) and
Joachim Murat Joachim Murat ( , also ; ; ; 25 March 1767 – 13 October 1815) was a French Army officer and statesman who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Under the French Empire he received the military titles of Marshal of the ...
(1808–1815) did not bring about major architectural changes to the royal palace, but it did bring about major interior and decorative transformations, most of which have now disappeared. The Napoleonic monarchs had to deal first of all with a general refurnishing of the palace, which Ferdinand IV had emptied when he went into exile in Palermo in 1798 and 1806. Although some interventions had already taken place under Joseph, from 1809 to 1810 the reforms were essentially functional, to convert the palace into a habitable residence. From 1810 to 1814 the major works took place, but were never completed. In addition to a joint "grand apartment of ceremony", Joachim Murat and Caroline Bonaparte each had an "apartment of honour" and an "ordinary apartment", Murat's apartments were concentrated in the western core of the palace, while Caroline's were grouped in the eastern wing formerly intended for the royal princes (now the seat of the
National Library of Naples The (''Victor Emmanuel III National Library'') is a national library of Italy. It occupies the eastern wing of the 18th-century Palazzo Reale in Naples, at 1 Piazza del Plebiscito, and has entrances from piazza Trieste e Trento. It is funded an ...
). The Belvedere garden was the connection between the royal couple's private apartments and also a play area for their children. Among the transformations of the period, it is worth highlighting the new theatre by Caroline Murat in the eastern wing or the bedroom in the form of a military tent for Joachim in the Belvedere Wing. The fall of the Bonapartes in 1815 prevented further transformations, such as the new throne room in the "Gallery of the Ambassadors" (now Room 8). However, two spaces were deeply marked by that period. On the one hand, the Royal Chapel, to which Joseph Bonaparte had already added the sumptuous altar of
pietra dura ''Pietra dura'' (), ''pietre dure'' () or intarsia lapidary ( see below), called ''parchin kari'' or ''parchinkari'' () in the Indian subcontinent, is a term for the inlay technique of using cut and fitted, highly polished colored stones to c ...
from '' Santa Maria degli Scalzi'', was remodelled in Byzantine style and inaugurated in 1814; although it would be rebuilt after the fire of 1837 and destroyed during the Second World War. On the other hand, in the "Hall of the Viceroys" the gallery of portraits of these disappeared and it was transformed into an antiquarium, adding plaster copies of the sculptures of the royal collection; due to the
Farnese Hercules The ''Farnese Hercules'' () is an ancient statue of Hercules made in the early third century AD and signed by Glykon, who is otherwise unknown; he was an Athenian but he may have worked in Rome. Like many other Ancient Roman sculptures it is a ...
the room began to be called "Hall of Hercules", the sculptures were also lost in 1837.


The Bourbon Restoration (1815–1837)

After the reconquest of Naples by the Bourbons, only cosmetic but highly symbolic modifications took place in the palace. In 1818, Ferdinand IV, now
Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies Ferdinand I (Italian language, Italian: ''Ferdinando I''; 12 January 1751 – 4 January 1825) was Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, King of the Two Sicilies from 1816 until his death. Before that he had been, since 1759, King of Naples as Ferdinand I ...
, undertook the complete redecoration of the Throne Room, resacralizing the space after the Napoleonic interlude. Antonio de Simone designed the ceiling stuccos with fourteen allegories representing the provinces, united around the throne, of the new
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies () was a kingdom in Southern Italy from 1816 to 1861 under the control of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, Bourbons. The kingdom was the largest sovereign state by popula ...
created in 1816 by unifying those of
Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
and
Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
. The entire room was also covered with a red velvet hanging with gilded Bourbon lilies. At that time, the division of the palace into two poles devised under the Bonapartes was perpetuated. On the western side facing the Largo di Palazzo was the "Grand Apartment of the King", while on the eastern wing facing the
Castel Nuovo Castel Nuovo (; ; 'New Castle'), often called Maschio Angioino (; ; ' Angevin Keep'), is a medieval castle located in front of Piazza Municipio and the city hall ( Palazzo San Giacomo) in central Naples, Campania, Italy. Its scenic location and ...
was the "Reception Apartment" of the
Duke of Calabria Duke of Calabria was the traditional title of the heir apparent of the Kingdom of Naples after the accession of Robert of Naples. It was also adopted by the heads of certain Houses that had once claimed the Kingdom of Naples in lieu of the royal ...
, who enjoyed the old little theatre of Caroline Murat, as well as his private rooms and accommodation for his children. During his brief reign, Francis I continued to inhabit these same apartments, and after his death, they were occupied by his widow, the queen mother
María Isabella of Spain Maria Isabella of Spain (; 6 July 1789 – 13 September 1848) was List of consorts of the Two Sicilies, Queen of the Two Sicilies from 4 January 1825 until 8 November 1830 as the wife of Francis I of the Two Sicilies. Infanta of Spain She was t ...
.


The Transformation by Ferdinand II (1837–1861)

On 6 February 1837, at 5 am, a fire broke out in the
Queen mother A queen mother is a former queen, often a queen dowager, who is the mother of the monarch, reigning monarch. The term has been used in English since the early 1560s. It arises in hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarchies in Europe and is also ...
's chambers in the eastern wing, destroying much of the eastern half of the palace. After the disaster, a new restoration of the entire complex became necessary. King Ferdinand II commissioned the renovation by the architect Gaetano Genovese, who carried out the work between 1837 and 1844, restoring the parts damaged by the fire, extending and finishing others, and redecorating the interiors. Genovese followed the neoclassical and
historicist Historicism is an approach to explaining the existence of phenomena, especially social and cultural practices (including ideas and beliefs), by studying the process or history by which they came about. The term is widely used in philosophy, ant ...
trends prevailing at the time, without abandoning the original architecture of Domenico Fontana, to give a homogeneous appearance to the whole complex. During the course of the work, the eastern wing facing the Castel Nuovo was completely remodelled; the Belvedere wing was demolished; the unfinished south façade facing the sea was completed, uniting it with the existing Fontana-era façade and crowning the central section with a new belvedere of white marble; and the private apartments of Ferdinand II and
Maria Theresa of Austria Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position in her own right. She was the sovereig ...
were moved to the second floor, leaving the former first-floor apartments for official receptions only. The surroundings of the palace also underwent major transformations. Between 1841 and 1843 the Viceregal palace was demolished, creating in its place the ''Piazza San Ferdinando'' (now Piazza Trieste e Trento), and Friedrich Dehnhardt created a new romantic rear garden by demolishing old stables and other buildings. The Royal Palace was then made up of several apartments grouped around two cores. In the western one, which constitutes the original palace, were the King and Queen's Etiquette Apartment (now the Royal Apartment) and the King's Apartment on the ground floor used for private receptions (now closed). In the eastern wing (now the National Library), made up of the extensions of the 18th and 19th centuries, were located the Apartment of the Festivals and the Apartment of the Duke of Calabria, on the first floor; and the Palatine Library, the King's Physics Office and the Private Apartment of the King and Queen on the second floor. The decoration of the newly created spaces, as well as the renovations to some of the old ones, moved away from academic neoclassicism and adopted a more eclectic and historicist approach, close to the exuberance of
Percier and Fontaine Percier and Fontaine was a noted partnership between French architects Charles Percier and Pierre François Léonard Fontaine. History Together, Percier and Fontaine were inventors and major proponents of the rich and grand, consciously archa ...
. Few changes took place during the short reign of Francis II, who on 6 September 1860 had to abandon the palace and the city in the face of the threat of the Garibaldine troops. Before leaving, the sovereign packed some of his most precious possessions, which were sent to
Capua Capua ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Caserta, in the region of Campania, southern Italy, located on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. History Ancient era The name of Capua comes from the Etruscan ''Capeva''. The ...
and
Gaeta Gaeta (; ; Southern Latian dialect, Southern Laziale: ''Gaieta'') is a seaside resort in the province of Latina in Lazio, Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is from Rome and from Naples. The city has played ...
, among which were Raphael's prized Pala Colonna, Titian's portrait of Alessandro Farnese, a marble bust of
Pope Pius IX Pope Pius IX (; born Giovanni Maria Battista Pietro Pellegrino Isidoro Mastai-Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878. His reign of nearly 32 years is the longest verified of any pope in hist ...
, the relics of Saint Jasonia, sixty-six reliquaries, a portrait of
Louis XVIII Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. Before his reign, he spent 23 y ...
, vases, porcelain, a nightstand with views of
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
on
Sèvres Sèvres (, ) is a French Communes of France, commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris. It is located from the Kilometre zero, centre of Paris, in the Hauts-de-Seine department of the Île-de-France region. The commune, which had a populatio ...
plates, tablecloths, household linen, mattresses and cushions, twenty-six boxes containing silverware, seven déjeuners and one hundred and fifteen silver candlesticks. However, much of Queen Maria Sophie's wardrobe and the king's personal fortune deposited in the
Banco di Napoli Banco di Napoli S.p.A., among the oldest banks in the world, was an Italian banking subsidiary of Intesa Sanpaolo group, as one of the 6 retail brands other than "Intesa Sanpaolo". It was acquired by the Italian banking group Sanpaolo IMI (the ...
were left behind.


The Savoys (1861–1919)

After the fall of the
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies () was a kingdom in Southern Italy from 1816 to 1861 under the control of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, Bourbons. The kingdom was the largest sovereign state by popula ...
in 1860 and the proclamation of the
Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...
, the palace became the residence of the
House of Savoy The House of Savoy (, ) is a royal house (formally a dynasty) of Franco-Italian origin that was established in 1003 in the historical region of Savoy, which was originally part of the Kingdom of Burgundy and now lies mostly within southeastern F ...
. The new owner of the palace,
Victor Emmanuel II Victor Emmanuel II (; full name: ''Vittorio Emanuele Maria Alberto Eugenio Ferdinando Tommaso di Savoia''; 14 March 1820 – 9 January 1878) was King of Sardinia (also informally known as Piedmont–Sardinia) from 23 March 1849 until 17 March ...
, first visited the palace on 7 November 1860, just two months after
Francis II of the Two Sicilies Francis II ( Neapolitan and , ; christened ''Francesco d'Assisi Maria Leopoldo''; 16 January 1836 – 27 December 1894) was King of the Two Sicilies. He was the last King of the Two Sicilies as successive invasions by Giuseppe Garibaldi and Vict ...
had left, and it does not seem that he ever stayed there again. The visits of the new dynasty to the city were generally sporadic. Only from 1868 to 1870, the palace served as a permanent residence for Prince Umberto and Princess Margherita, newly married in April 1868. It was in this palace that the future king
Victor Emmanuel III Victor Emmanuel III (; 11 November 1869 – 28 December 1947) was King of Italy from 29 July 1900 until his abdication on 9 May 1946. A member of the House of Savoy, he also reigned as Emperor of Ethiopia from 1936 to 1941 and King of the Albani ...
was born on 11 November 1869. The couple left the city after the taking of Rome in September 1870. After ascending to the throne in 1878, the new royal couple returned to Naples, but their stays were always bittersweet. In 1878 they were victims of the assassination attempt by Giovanni Passannante, in 1883 they returned to comfort the wounded in the earthquake at Casamicciola and in 1885 they returned to the victims of
cholera Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some Strain (biology), strains of the Bacteria, bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea last ...
. More fortunate was the visit in 1889, following the inauguration of the Corso Umberto I. The
Prince of Piedmont The lordship of Piedmont, later the principality of Piedmont (), was originally an appanage of the County of Savoy, and as such its lords were members of the Principality of Achaea#Princes of Achaea, Achaea branch of the House of Savoy. The titl ...
, the future Victor Emmanuel III, also resided in Naples from 1891 to 1896. However, the royal family often preferred the Capodimonte palace, which was more isolated and had a larger garden. The first decades after the Unification were also those of a slow process of emptying the palace's treasures: from 1862 to 1864 several modern paintings were moved to Capodimonte, in 1864 the Armory was moved and in 1873 the porcelain, both also to Capodimonte; In 1878 several tapestries were taken to the
Quirinal Palace The Quirinal Palace ( ) is a historic building in Rome, Italy, the main official residence of the President of Italy, President of the Italian Republic, together with Villa Rosebery in Naples and the Tenuta di Castelporziano, an estate on the outs ...
, in 1879 the instruments of the Physics Cabinet went to the
University of Naples The University of Naples Federico II (; , ) is a public university, public research university in Naples, Campania, Italy. Established in 1224 and named after its founder, Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II, it is the oldest public, s ...
, before 1884 the royal carriages left for the
Pitti Palace The Palazzo Pitti (), in English sometimes called the Pitti Palace, is a vast, mainly Renaissance, palace in Florence, Italy. It is situated on the south side of the River Arno, a short distance from the Ponte Vecchio. The core of the present ...
, the music archive was ceded to the Conservatory on an uncertain date and in 1921 it was the turn of the Archives of the Royal House, integrated into the State Archives of Naples. However, it is also worth highlighting some specific interventions in the palace, such as the sumptuous neo-baroque furniture in the First Antechamber, carried out between 1862 and 1864; the coats of arms of the provinces of the new Kingdom of Italy painted in the Hall of Hercules around 1868 or the '' marouflage'' of the ''Assumption'' by
Domenico Morelli Domenico Morelli (4 August 182313 August 1901) was an Italians, Italian painter, who mainly produced historical and religious works. Morelli was immensely influential in the arts of the second half of the 19th century, both as director of the Ac ...
made for the Royal Chapel in 1869. Another notable change was the replacement of the Bourbon
fleur-de-lis The ''fleur-de-lis'', also spelled ''fleur-de-lys'' (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a common heraldic charge in the (stylized) shape of a lily (in French, and mean and respectively). Most notably, the ''fleur-de-lis'' ...
by the Savoy cross in several places in the palace, including the main staircase, the court theatre and the throne itself. However, the most important and controversial intervention would be the installation, in 1888, in the niches of the main façade, of eight sculptures of the most important kings of Naples, including Victor Emmanuel II, despite the fact that he never held that title. Likewise, the core of the palace was moved to the eastern wing, a process that had already begun with the reform of Ferdinand II. Umberto and Margherita were installed in the former apartment of Caroline Bonaparte, of
duke of Calabria Duke of Calabria was the traditional title of the heir apparent of the Kingdom of Naples after the accession of Robert of Naples. It was also adopted by the heads of certain Houses that had once claimed the Kingdom of Naples in lieu of the royal ...
and then of Francis II. His son, Prince Victor Emmanuel (III), had it done just above, in the private apartments of Ferdinand II. The apartments were furnished with sumptuous new Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo furniture, as well as an extensive collection of contemporary paintings that Queen Margherita had been collecting. In the old heart of the palace, the western wing, the so-called "Gala Apartment", was regularly open to the public.


Transfer to the State (1919–1940)

The greatest change in the history of the Royal Palace of Naples took place in 1919, when King Victor Emmanuel III transferred the palace, along with many other royal residences, to the state. Three years later, between 1922 and 1924, following the impulse of
Benedetto Croce Benedetto Croce, ( , ; 25 February 1866 – 20 November 1952) was an Italian idealist philosopher, historian, and politician who wrote on numerous topics, including philosophy, history, historiography, and aesthetics. A Cultural liberalism, poli ...
, the
National Library of Naples The (''Victor Emmanuel III National Library'') is a national library of Italy. It occupies the eastern wing of the 18th-century Palazzo Reale in Naples, at 1 Piazza del Plebiscito, and has entrances from piazza Trieste e Trento. It is funded an ...
was installed in the eastern wing of the palace, the one that had been occupied by the various sovereigns and their families since the mid-19th century. This installation entailed the transfer and storage of the furniture and the loss of part of the decoration to make way for the shelves of the library. Only on the west side was the "Gala Apartment", since then called the "Royal Apartment", open to the public. In 1931, the last royals to live in the palace moved in: Crown Prince Umberto (II) and his wife Princess Maria Jose of Belgium. On 24 September 1934, their first-born daughter, Princess
Maria Pia of Savoy Dona Maria Pia (16 October 1847 – 5 July 1911) was by birth an Italian princess of the House of Savoy and by marriage Queen of Portugal as the wife of King Luís I of Portugal. On the day of her baptism, Pope Pius IX, her godfather, gave her ...
, was born in the palace; from then on, the couple preferred the privacy of the Villa Maria Pia in
Posillipo Posillipo (; ) is an affluent residential quarter of Naples, southern Italy, located along the northern coast of the Gulf of Naples. From the 1st century BC the Bay of Naples witnessed the rise of villas constructed by elite Romans along the mo ...
.


From World War II to the new century (1940-2000)

During the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
the palace suffered considerable damage. On 4 August 1943, during an Allied bombing raid, the roof of the court theatre, the chapel and the bridge in the hanging garden, among other areas, were destroyed. The palace was then used as a welfare club by Anglo-American troops from 1943 to 1945. During this period, numerous thefts of works of art took place and a large number of curtains and hangings from the Royal Apartment were destroyed. The furniture was not so unlucky, as it was moved to a safe place at the beginning of the conflict. The restoration took place from 1950 to 1954: the paintings were recovered, in some cases repainted; The original furniture was reinstalled and the silk elements originally made in San Leucio were reconstructed using the ancient looms. In 1994, the seat of the
regional government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. Local governments typically constitute a subdivision of a higher-level political or administrative unit, such a ...
, which had been located in the Royal Palace since the beginning of the 20th century, was permanently moved to another location. In the middle of the second decade of the 21st century the façade was restored and some areas of the Royal Apartment were renovated. among them the corte theater.


Exterior


The main façade

The main façade of the Royal Palace faces the Piazza del Plebiscito and was completed in 1616. It is one hundred and sixty-nine metres long and until 1843 was adjacent to that of the Viceregal Palace, which was demolished to make way for the Piazza Trieste e Trento. The façade is made of fired reddish clay bricks, piperno and volcanic stone from the
Phlegraean Fields The Phlegraean Fields (, ; ) is a large volcano, volcanic caldera west of Naples, Italy. The Neapolitan Yellow Tuff eruption (about 12ka BP) produced just 50 cubic kilometers. It is, however, one of relatively few volcanoes large enough to f ...
. The late Renaissance and
Mannerist Mannerism is a style in European art that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520, spreading by about 1530 and lasting until about the end of the 16th century in Italy, when the Baroque style largely replaced it ...
imprint can be seen in the superposition of several orders, typical of theatrical buildings of ancient Rome, such as the Coliseum or the Theatre of Marcellus; while the Mannerist can be appreciated in the modular design of the façade that could be repeated ad infinitum since it has no element that marks its beginning or its end, in the same way that, in the upper part, it does not find a conclusion due to the lack of a cornice. However, originally the cornice was crowned by obelisks, vases and three bell gables positioned vertically at each entrance. All of this was removed at the beginning of the 19th century, leaving only the central bell gable with the clock. The architectural articulation follows the treatises of
Vitruvius Vitruvius ( ; ; –70 BC – after ) was a Roman architect and engineer during the 1st century BC, known for his multi-volume work titled . As the only treatise on architecture to survive from antiquity, it has been regarded since the Renaissan ...
: the
pilaster In architecture, a pilaster is both a load-bearing section of thickened wall or column integrated into a wall, and a purely decorative element in classical architecture which gives the appearance of a supporting column and articulates an ext ...
s are arranged vertically and the three orders (at ground level we find the
Tuscan order The Tuscan order (Latin ''Ordo Tuscanicus'' or ''Ordo Tuscanus'', with the meaning of Etruscan order) is one of the two classical orders developed by the Romans, the other being the composite order. It is influenced by the Doric order, but wit ...
, followed by the Ionic and, finally, the Corinthian) are arranged horizontally. On the other hand, the two-tone use of materials stands out to highlight the architectural elements (in grey stone) on the walls (in reddish brick), a technique that would be very successful in Naples. Originally, the lower part had
portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...
s along its entire length, a very innovative decision for the time, designed by Fontana so that the people could walk around even in bad weather. However, after the
Masaniello Tommaso Aniello (29 June 1620 – 16 July 1647), popularly known by the contracted name Masaniello (, ), was an Italian fisherman who became leader of the 1647 revolt against the rule of Habsburg Spain in the Kingdom of Naples. Name and place ...
revolt and because of the structural problems of the pillars, which were being crushed, in 1753 the arches were walled up according to the project of Luigi Vanvitelli. Niches were opened in the new walls, but it was not until 1888 that statues of the main
kings of Naples The following is a list of rulers of the Kingdom of Naples, from its first separation from the Kingdom of Sicily to its merger with the same into the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Kingdom of Naples (1282–1501) House of Anjou In 1382, the Kin ...
were placed in them, with the intention of showing a certain continuity between the
House of Savoy The House of Savoy (, ) is a royal house (formally a dynasty) of Franco-Italian origin that was established in 1003 in the historical region of Savoy, which was originally part of the Kingdom of Burgundy and now lies mostly within southeastern F ...
and the previous dynasties of Neapolitan history. From left to right, we can recognize ''Roger II of Sicily,'' a work by Emilio Franceschi; ''Frederick II of Swabia,'' by Emanuele Caggiano; ''Charles of Anjou,'' by Tommaso Solares; ''Alfonso V of Aragon,'' by Aquiles De Osas; ''Charles V of Habsburg,'' by Vincenzo Gemito; ''Charles of Bourbon,'' by Raffaele Belliazzi; ''Joachim Murat,'' by Giovanni Battista Amendola and ''Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy,'' by Francesco Jerace. File: Palazzo Reale di Napoli - Ruggero il Normanno.jpg,
Roger II of Sicily Roger II or Roger the Great (, , Greek language, Greek: Ρογέριος; 22 December 1095 – 26 February 1154) was King of Kingdom of Sicily, Sicily and Kingdom of Africa, Africa, son of Roger I of Sicily and successor to his brother Simon, C ...
. File: Palazzo Reale di Napoli - Federico II.jpg, Frederick II Hohenstaufen. File: Palazzo Reale di Napoli - Carlo I d'Angiò.jpg,
Charles of Anjou Charles I (early 1226/12277 January 1285), commonly called Charles of Anjou or Charles d'Anjou, was King of Sicily from 1266 to 1285. He was a member of the royal Capetian dynasty and the founder of the House of Anjou-Sicily. Between 1246 a ...
. File: Palazzo Reale di Napoli - Alfonso V d'Aragona.jpg,
Alfonso V of Aragon Alfonso the Magnanimous (Alfons el Magnànim in Catalan language, Catalan) (139627 June 1458) was King of Aragon and King of Sicily (as Alfons V) and the ruler of the Crown of Aragon from 1416 and King of Naples (as Alfons I) from 1442 until his ...
. File: Palazzo Reale di Napoli - Carlo V d'Asburgo.jpg, Charles IV of Naples. File: Palazzo Reale di Napoli - Carlo III di Borbone.jpg, Charles VII of Naples. File: Palazzo Reale di Napoli - Gioacchino Murat.jpg,
Joachim Murat Joachim Murat ( , also ; ; ; 25 March 1767 – 13 October 1815) was a French Army officer and statesman who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Under the French Empire he received the military titles of Marshal of the ...
. File: Palazzo Reale di Napoli - Vittorio Emanuele II.jpg,
Victor Emmanuel II Victor Emmanuel II (; full name: ''Vittorio Emanuele Maria Alberto Eugenio Ferdinando Tommaso di Savoia''; 14 March 1820 – 9 January 1878) was King of Sardinia (also informally known as Piedmont–Sardinia) from 23 March 1849 until 17 March ...
.
In the centre of the main façade is the entrance portal, flanked by two
coupled ''Coupled'' is an American dating game show that aired on Fox from May 17 to August 2, 2016. It was hosted by television personality, Terrence J and created by Mark Burnett, of '' Survivor'', '' The Apprentice'', '' Are You Smarter than a 5th ...
granite columns, and crowned with the coat of arms of
Philip III of Spain Philip III (; 14 April 1578 – 31 March 1621) was King of Spain and King of Portugal, Portugal (where he is known as Philip II of Portugal) during the Iberian Union. His reign lasted from 1598 until his death in 1621. He held dominion over the S ...
, already planned by Fontana to emphasise the public function of the palace. Next to it, on each side, are two smaller coats of arms belonging to Juan Alonso Pimentel de Herrera and Pedro Fernández de Castro, viceroys of Naples when the palace was built. Below the balcony cornice is the coat of arms of the
Savoy Savoy (; )  is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south and west and to the Aosta Vall ...
. There are also two plaques: one in commemoration of the start of the works by order of Fernando Ruiz de Castro and his wife Catalina de Zúñiga; and the other, with an inscription praising the beauty of the building. Below the plaques there were, until the beginning of the 18th century, two statues representing ''Religion'' and ''Justice.'' The two
sentry box A sentry box is a small shelter (building), shelter with an open front in which a Picket (military), sentry or person on Security guard, guard duty may stand to be sheltered from the weather. Many boxes are decorated in national colours. Compare: ...
s on either side of the main entrance were made in the early years of the 18th century. Along the façade and in the courtyard of honour there is, between the ground floor and the first floor, a frieze with
triglyph Triglyph is an architectural term for the vertically channeled tablets of the Doric frieze in classical architecture, so called because of the angular channels in them. The rectangular recessed spaces between the triglyphs on a Doric frieze are ...
s and
metope A metope (; ) is a rectangular architectural element of the Doric order, filling the space between triglyphs in a frieze , a decorative band above an architrave. In earlier wooden buildings the spaces between triglyphs were first open, and ...
s in which are the emblems of the
Hispanic Monarchy Hispanic Monarchy and Spanish Monarchy may refer to: *the 1479-1716 period of the Spanish Empire ( Hispanic Monarchy (Political entity)) that is divided in: **Habsburg Spain **Iberian Union *the Monarchy of Spain The monarchy of Spain or S ...
and its possessions in Europe, largely obtained after the 1559
Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis The Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis in April 1559 ended the Italian Wars (1494–1559). It consisted of two separate treaties, one between England and France on 2 April, and another between France and Spain on 3 April. Although he was not a signatory ...
: the three-towered castle of Castile; the rampant lion of Léon; the snake devouring a captive, symbolizing the
Duchy of Milan The Duchy of Milan (; ) was a state in Northern Italy, created in 1395 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, then the lord of Milan, and a member of the important Visconti of Milan, Visconti family, which had been ruling the city since 1277. At that time, ...
; the shield with the four vertical bars of
Aragon Aragon ( , ; Spanish and ; ) is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces of Spain, ...
; the cross with the four Moor's heads, symbol of the
Kingdom of Sardinia The Kingdom of Sardinia, also referred to as the Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica among other names, was a State (polity), country in Southern Europe from the late 13th until the mid-19th century, and from 1297 to 1768 for the Corsican part of ...
; and the emblems of
Navarre Navarre ( ; ; ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre, is a landlocked foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Autonomous Community, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and New Aquitaine in France. ...
,
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
,
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
,
Granada Granada ( ; ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada (Spain), Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence ...
and
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
.


The other façades

The longest of all, the one running south along Via Acton, was built in different phases: its eastern half at the beginning of the 17th century according to Fontana's designs and the eastern half, including the central belvedere, from 1837 to 1844 by Gaetano Genovese. The north façade facing Piazza Trieste e Trento was also by the same architect, completed between 1841 and 1843 after the demolition of the Viceregal Palace. While the architects Francesco Gavaudan and Pietro Gesuè were responsible for the connection to the San Carlo Theatre. Both façades imitate the architectural articulation designed by Fontana for the main façade, and both are C-shaped and contain a garden in their centre, the south façade the so-called Hanging Gardens and the north the Italian Garden, in the centre of which is the statue of ''Liberty'', made by Francesco Liberti in 1861, a clear reference to the
Italian unification The unification of Italy ( ), also known as the Risorgimento (; ), was the 19th century political and social movement that in 1861 ended in the annexation of various states of the Italian peninsula and its outlying isles to the Kingdom of ...
. In addition, this north façade is partially porticoed to support a terrace. It has a glass entrance leading directly onto the grand staircase, decorated with two pairs of plaster statues from the Palazzo degli Studi and placed there during Genovese's restoration. These are copies of the ''
Farnese Hercules The ''Farnese Hercules'' () is an ancient statue of Hercules made in the early third century AD and signed by Glykon, who is otherwise unknown; he was an Athenian but he may have worked in Rome. Like many other Ancient Roman sculptures it is a ...
'' and the ''Farnesian Flora'' on one side, and of the ''Minerva'' and of ''Pyrrhus and
Astyanax In Greek mythology, Astyanax (; ''Astyánax'', "lord of the city") was the son of Hector, the crown prince of Troy, and of his wife, Princess Andromache of Cilician Thebe."Astyanax". ''Oxford Classical Dictionary''. Oxford, 1949, p. 101 (''s.v. ...
'' on the other.


The courtyards

According to Domenico Fontana's original project, three
courtyard A courtyard or court is a circumscribed area, often surrounded by a building or complex, that is open to the sky. Courtyards are common elements in both Western and Eastern building patterns and have been used by both ancient and contemporary a ...
s were to be opened in front of each entrance, which would be connected to each other by vaulted corridors. However, only the central entrance courtyard was ultimately built, the so-called Courtyard of honour (''Cortile D'Onore''), which is square in shape, with five arches on each side. The central arch on each side is a segmental arch of larger dimensions than the others. Around the courtyard, on the first floor, there is a
loggia In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior Long gallery, gallery or corridor, often on an upper level, sometimes on the ground level of a building. The corridor is open to the elements because its outer wall is only parti ...
, originally open, but which was finally closed with large windows. In a niche in the eastern part of the courtyard there was originally a cistern, which was replaced during the 1940s by a fountain decorated with a statue of ''Fortuna''. The fountain, made in 1742 by Giuseppe Canart, was commissioned by Charles of Bourbon and was originally located near the port. Following an investigation, brick paving in the shape of a herringbone has been discovered in some places. During the construction of the new southern arm of the palace between 1758 and 1760, two new courtyards were created: one on the same axis as the courtyard of honour, just behind it, which is called the Courtyard of the Carriages, while the other is the Courtyard of the Belvedere. Despite having been built in different periods, the Courtyard of the Carriages (''Cortile delle Carrozze''), so called because it contained the coach houses, is architecturally close to the style that Domenico Fontana gave to the palace, although there are no lack of different elements such as the use of
stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and ...
instead of piperno and the angular
pilaster In architecture, a pilaster is both a load-bearing section of thickened wall or column integrated into a wall, and a purely decorative element in classical architecture which gives the appearance of a supporting column and articulates an ext ...
s. The courtyard is rectangular in shape, and has an elliptical marble cistern in the centre. It is connected to the courtyard of honour and the esplanade of the bastions by two service corridors with lowered arches. The coach house, built in 1832 by Giacinto Passaro, replaced the one existing from the previous century, the work of Ferdinando Sanfelice, mainly for aesthetic reasons, since the new one was aligned with the facade of the palace while the previous one was situated obliquely. The new coach house is a space dominated by a central line of nine columns of the
Doric order The Doric order is one of the three orders of ancient Greek and later Roman architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian. The Doric is most easily recognized by the simple circular capitals at the top of t ...
, on which you can still admire red shields with the crown of
Umberto I of Italy Umberto I (; 14 March 1844 – 29 July 1900) was King of Italy from 9 January 1878 until his assassination in 1900. His reign saw Italy's expansion into the Horn of Africa, as well as the creation of the Triple Alliance (1882), Triple Alliance a ...
. The window layout was modified by Genovese in 1837 to adapt it to the requirements of the Belvedere Courtyard. The Belvedere (''Cortile del Belvedere'') was born as a boundary towards the sea of the first nucleus of the palace and was originally C-shaped. It was closed by a loggia, which would be modified as a consequence of the construction of the new bodies of the palace in the 18th century, with the insertion of lowered arches in the eastern part. Later, the courtyard underwent modifications between 1837 and 1840, when, for access to the courtyard, a triumphal arch with Ionic and Corinthian semi-columns of false piperno was created. Between the ground and first floors, the courtyard is decorated with a Doric band with
metope A metope (; ) is a rectangular architectural element of the Doric order, filling the space between triglyphs in a frieze , a decorative band above an architrave. In earlier wooden buildings the spaces between triglyphs were first open, and ...
s, also in false piperno, and
triglyph Triglyph is an architectural term for the vertically channeled tablets of the Doric frieze in classical architecture, so called because of the angular channels in them. The rectangular recessed spaces between the triglyphs on a Doric frieze are ...
s. From the Belvedere Courtyard, you can access different areas of the palace: on the left is the Guest Staircase, which leads to the Vestibule (room XX) of the Royal Apartment and to the small bridge, destroyed in the bombings of the Second World War and rebuilt on the same supports, which links it directly to the hanging gardens. From the courtyard, you can also access a private apartment with Pompeian-style decorations, originally reserved for official meetings of
Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies Ferdinand II (; ; ; 12 January 1810 – 22 May 1859) was King of the Two Sicilies from 1830 until his death in 1859. Family Ferdinand was born in Palermo to King Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his second wife Maria Isabella of Spain. ...
, which later became the seat of the superintendency; and also to a bridge that, overcoming the defensive ditch, led to the bastion of the
Castel Nuovo Castel Nuovo (; ; 'New Castle'), often called Maschio Angioino (; ; ' Angevin Keep'), is a medieval castle located in front of Piazza Municipio and the city hall ( Palazzo San Giacomo) in central Naples, Campania, Italy. Its scenic location and ...
and to a slope that led to the
stables A stable is a building in which working animals are kept, especially horses or oxen. The building is usually divided into stalls, and may include storage for equipment and feed. Styles There are many different types of stables in use tod ...
.


The Royal Apartments

The Royal Apartments () are the part currently open to visitors and is located on the ''
piano nobile ( Italian for "noble floor" or "noble level", also sometimes referred to by the corresponding French term, ) is the architectural term for the principal floor of a '' palazzo''. This floor contains the main reception and bedrooms of the house ...
'' of the western core of the palace. Throughout its history it has undergone several changes of use and name: from 1616 to 1734 it was used as the apartments of the Spanish and Austrian viceroys and their consorts; from 1734 to 1806 it was the public and private apartment of the king and queen of Naples; from 1806 to 1815 it served as the "honorary" and "ordinary" apartment of
Joseph Bonaparte Joseph Bonaparte (born Giuseppe di Buonaparte, ; ; ; 7 January 176828 July 1844) was a French statesman, lawyer, diplomat and older brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. During the Napoleonic Wars, the latter made him King of Naples (1806–1808), an ...
and
Joachim Murat Joachim Murat ( , also ; ; ; 25 March 1767 – 13 October 1815) was a French Army officer and statesman who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Under the French Empire he received the military titles of Marshal of the ...
; It was later called the "Grand Apartment of His Majesty the King" and Ferdinand I and Ferdinand II were the last to inhabit it. After the 1837–1844 renovation by Gaetano Genovese, it was called the "Etiquette Apartment of the King and Queen" and was used only for receptions, as the sovereigns moved to the second floor of the eastern wing. In the travel guides of the beginning of the century it was simply called the "Gala Apartment", and could be visited from Thursday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. upon request for a permit. When the palace ceased to be property of the Crown and passed to the State in 1919, the Royal Apartment became one of the ''institutes of antiquities and art'' (now called ''Italian national museums''). Its present museum appearance is due to the restoration carried out between 1950 and 1954 to alleviate the damage suffered during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, when several ceilings were damaged by Allied bombing and the silk hangings of twenty rooms were removed when the apartment was transformed into a ''Welfare Club'' (social club) for the occupying English troops. Originally, to access the king's rooms, silver and gold keys were used, guarded by the gentlemen of the chamber, some of which are in the Museo Civico Filangieri donated by Neapolitan nobles.


The collections

The current decoration represents the tastes of the different dynasties and historical figures who have lived there, as well as different political messages typical of a building that represented the pinnacle of power in the kingdom. The reference date is the inventory made by the Savoy family in 1874, which describes the rooms after the late Bourbon modifications (1837–1844) and some slight changes introduced after the Unification in 1860. First of all, the frescoes stand out. These essentially cover the viceregal period with works by Belisario Corenzio of Roman Renaissance inspiration or Giovanni Battista Caracciolo in a more Caravagesque line; the Baroque period of Charles of Bourbon with large allegorical frescoes with
trompe l'oeil A trompe is a water-powered air compressor, commonly used before the advent of the electric-powered compressor. A trompe is somewhat like an airlift pump working in reverse. Trompes were used to provide compressed air for bloomery furnaces ...
by Solimena, Vaccaro or de Mura; and finally historicist and neo-medieval works from the mid-19th century. The paintings in the rooms also correspond to different periods, highlighting the northern and European schools of the 16th and 17th centuries from the Farnesio collection inherited by Charles of Bourbon; Caravaggesque paintings and the Dutch portraits that Domenico Venuti bought for Ferdinand I and the large court portraits of the royal family. There are also more intimate and contemporary paintings from the apartments in the east wing, such as ''troubadour'' paintings commissioned by the Murats from artists such as Louis Nicolas Philippe Auguste de Forbin or the chronicle paintings of the great moments of the reigns of Francis I and Ferdinand II by Salvatore Fergola and Frans Vervloet. However, due to the sending of the most important paintings to the Real Museo Borbonico between 1829 and 1832 and the transfer of paintings to the Capodimonte from 1862 onwards, the palace's collection of paintings today appears more scattered and impoverished than before, with its series and iconographies fragmented. In the 1874 inventory, the paintings were given special importance, together with the furniture, tapestries, flowered hangings and large neo-baroque mirrors, as creating a sumptuous atmosphere. The furniture, in the
Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
,
Rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...
and historicist style, was made by Neapolitan cabinetmakers between the 18th and 19th centuries or brought from
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
during Murat's stay in Naples, together with carpets and
tapestries Tapestry is a form of textile art which was traditionally woven by hand on a loom. Normally it is used to create images rather than patterns. Tapestry is relatively fragile, and difficult to make, so most historical pieces are intended to han ...
, some of them woven in the Royal Tapestry Factory of Naples. Also of note are the French clocks, the porcelain, especially
Sèvres Sèvres (, ) is a French Communes of France, commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris. It is located from the Kilometre zero, centre of Paris, in the Hauts-de-Seine department of the Île-de-France region. The commune, which had a populatio ...
, Chinese and Russian; bronze and marble sculptures and works in hard stone. Many of the exhibits come from other parts of the palace, especially the eastern wing, which was completely stripped of furniture when the National Library was installed there. In any case, the palace does not have a real collection, but rather loose pieces, since during the 19th century, on the initiative of the Bourbons and especially the Savoys, many works were transferred to other museums (see History).


Floor Plan

The Royal Apartment is composed of a grand staircase, an ambulatory, a chapel, the hanging gardens and the Gallery and Hall of Hercules, in addition to the rooms that make up the King's apartment and the Queen's apartment. * ██ Grand Staircase * ██
Ambulatory The ambulatory ( 'walking place') is the covered passage around a cloister or the processional way around the east end of a cathedral or large church and behind the high altar. The first ambulatory was in France in the 11th century but by the 13t ...
* ██ King's Apartment :1 Court Theatre :2 First Antechamber :3 Neoclassical Sitting Room :4 Second Antechamber :5 Third Antechamber :6 Throne Room :7 General's Passage :8 Ambassadors' Room :9 Maria Cristina Room :10 Oratory :11 Great Captain's Room :12 Flamingo Room :13 King's Office :29 Bodyguards Room * ██ Queen's Apartment :14 Queen's Fourth Drawing Room :15 Queen's Third Drawing Room :16 Queen's Second Drawing Room :17 Queen's First Drawing Room :18 Queen's Second Antechamber :19 Queen's First Antechamber :20 Vestibule :23 First Backroom :24 Second Backroom :25 Third Backroom :26 Queen's Passage :27 Maria Amalia of Saxony's Bedchamber :28 Passageway :34 Queen's ''
Boudoir A (; ) is a woman's private sitting room or salon in a furnished residence, usually between the dining room and the bedroom, but can also refer to a woman's private bedroom. The term derives from the French verb ''bouder'' (to sulk or pout ...
'' * ██ Gallery and Hall of Hercules. :21 Gallery :22 Hall of Hercules * ██ Palatine Chapel * ██ Hanging Gardens


Grand Staircase

The north side of the courtyard, orthogonal to the façade, was originally occupied by a modest two-ramp staircase, the work of Domenico Fontana. However, after the anti-Spanish revolt of 1647, the viceroy Iñigo Vélez de Guevara commissioned a new and monumental staircase from Francesco Antonio Picchiatti. The new space was built between 1650 and 1670 in Piperno, and was inspired by the immense staircase of the Real
Alcázar of Toledo The Alcázar of Toledo (, ) is a stone fortification located in the highest part of Toledo, Spain. It is a large quadrangular building measuring 60 meters on a side, framed by four large towers 60 meters high, each crowned by the typical Madrid ...
, built by Alonso de Covarrubias and Juan de Herrera between 1550 and 1605. The new staircase, which occupied an entire side of the courtyard of honour, was built in accordance with the importance that the Austrian ceremony gave to these spaces.
Montesquieu Charles Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu (18 January 168910 February 1755), generally referred to as simply Montesquieu, was a French judge, man of letters, historian, and political philosopher. He is the principal so ...
described it in 1729 as the most beautiful in Europe, however it had to be rebuilt after the fire in February 1837. File:Scalone Palazzo Reale Napoli - circa 1800 - Baldassarre Cavallotti.png, The Picchiatti staircase depicted in an early 19th century engraving by Baldassare Cavallotti. File:Lo Scalone di Palazzo Reale - 1790.jpg, The idealised representation of Picchiatti's staircase in the painting ''Lo Scalone di Palazzo Reale, con le principesse Maria Teresa e Maria Luisa di Borbone'' painted by Antonio Dominici in 1790. File:Fotografi från Neapel - Hallwylska museet - 104145.tif, The staircase after the remodelling by Genovese and Gavaudan, with the balustrade with several torches. File: Napoli Palazzo reale - ingresso e scalone sinistro 1040723.JPG, The staircase today, note the absence of several torches. The new design in a grandiose late neoclassical style was the work of Gaetano Genovese. In 1841 the problem of the staircase's luminosity was resolved with the demolition of the viceregal palace annex, the creation of the Piazza Trieste e Trento and the opening of large iron-framed windows. However, it was not until 1858 that Francesco Gavaudan completed the decoration characterized by sumptuous marbles such as pink marble, the ''porto venere'', the red of Vitulano, the ''breccia rosata'' of
Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
, the marble of
Mondragone Mondragone (Campanian: ) is a ''comune'' or municipality in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region of Campania. It is located about northwest of Naples and about west of Caserta. History In the Middle Ages, it was occupied by the Norma ...
and the ''lumachino '' of
Trapani Trapani ( ; ; ) is a city and municipality (''comune'') with 54,887 inhabitants, on the west coast of Sicily, in Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Trapani. Founded by Elymians, the city is still an important fishing port and the mai ...
. For its part, the cloister vault that covers it is decorated with white stuccos on a gray background, representing garlands and the shields of the
Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples (; ; ), officially the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was established by the War of the Sicilian Vespers (1282–1302). Until ...
, of the
Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
, of
Basilicata Basilicata (, ; ), also known by its ancient name Lucania (, , ), is an administrative region in Southern Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south. It has two coastlines: a 30-kilometr ...
, of
Calabria Calabria is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. It is a peninsula bordered by the region Basilicata to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the Strait of Messina to the southwest, which separates it from Sicily, and the Tyrrhenian S ...
and, although it was added later, of the
House of Savoy The House of Savoy (, ) is a royal house (formally a dynasty) of Franco-Italian origin that was established in 1003 in the historical region of Savoy, which was originally part of the Kingdom of Burgundy and now lies mostly within southeastern F ...
. Finally, the side walls are decorated with sculptures of the
cardinal virtues The cardinal virtues are four virtues of mind and character in classical philosophy. They are prudence, Justice (virtue), justice, Courage, fortitude, and Temperance (virtue), temperance. They form a Virtue ethics, virtue theory of ethics. The t ...
: on one side, the ''Fortitude'' by Antonio Calì and the ''Justice'' by
Gennaro Calì Gennaro Calì (–1877) was an Italian sculptor. Biography He was born and died in Naples. He was born in a family of artists. His brother Andrea was also a sculptor. He studied initially at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Naples, then moved to ...
; on the other, the ''Clemencia'' by Tito Angelini and the ''Prudencia'' by Tommaso Scolari; and, flanking the central section, two
bas-relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb , to raise (). To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that th ...
s in Carrara marble representing the ''Victory between the Genius of Fame and Courage'', by Salvatore Irdi, and the ''Glory between the symbols of Justice, War, Science, Art and Industry'', by Francesco Liberti.


Ambulatory

The ambulatory on the first floor is made up of four corridors surrounding the courtyard of honour: originally it was an open loggia which, during the restoration in the 19th century, was closed off by means of large windows. At this time the vaults were decorated with stuccoes by Gaetano Genovese. The rooms of the royal apartment open off the ambulatory: in the first arm, which runs parallel to the façade towards the Piazza del Plebiscito, are the court theatre and the audience chambers; in the second are the private rooms of the former private apartment, which overlook the hanging garden; in the third, facing east, are the Hall of Hercules and the royal chapel; and finally, the fourth arm leads to the grand staircase, from which one can see through a stained glass window the Piazza Trieste e Trento, with a view, in the distance, of the Carthusian monastery of San Martino. This layout has been preserved unchanged, as it was designed by Domenico Fontana. The doors leading to the ambulatory are lacquered in white, are in a neoclassical style and were built in the 1930s.


The King's Apartment

The Court Theatre (Room I) was originally the "Sala Regia" or "Sala Maggiore" and was the largest room according to Fontana's project. From the beginning it was used for balls, comedies and festivities, and from 1648 Picchiatti decorated its ceiling with sumptuous gilded stucco and paintings by order of the viceroy Count of Oñate. This renovation ran parallel to the creation of another large ceremonial room in the palace, the "Sala de los Virreyes" (now the Hall of Hercules). During the reign of Charles of Bourbon it was regularly used for theatrical performances and a large stage was set up on it. Its current appearance, however, dates back to 1768, when on the occasion of the wedding of Ferdinand IV and
Maria Carolina of Austria Maria Carolina of Austria (Maria Carolina Louise Josepha Johanna Antonia; 13 August 1752 – 8 September 1814) was Queen of Naples and Sicily as the wife of King Ferdinand IV and III, who later became King of the Two Sicilies. As ''de facto' ...
it was completely remade by Ferdinando Fuga in a classicist baroque style. After the serious damage suffered during the Second World War, the stage and the ceiling had to be rebuilt between 1950 and 1954, with frescoes painted by Francesco Galante, Alberto Chiancone, Vincenzo Ciardo and Antonio Bresciani. These authors took up in their paintings the themes of the original frescoes by Antonio Dominici and Crescenzio La Gamba. In the niches there are the original cartapesta statues made by Angelo Viva, representing ''
Minerva Minerva (; ; ) is the Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, law, victory, and the sponsor of arts, trade, and strategy. She is also a goddess of warfare, though with a focus on strategic warfare, rather than the violence of gods such as Mars. Be ...
'', '' Mercury'', ''
Apollo Apollo is one of the Twelve Olympians, Olympian deities in Ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek and Ancient Roman religion, Roman religion and Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, mu ...
'' and the nine ''
Muses In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...
s''. The First Antechamber (room II) served as the "Room of the Guard Corps" during the time of Charles of Bourbon, while during the time of the Savoy it was called the "Dining Room of the Diplomatic Corps". The most notable feature of the Carolingian period is the fresco, painted between 1737 and 1738, in commemoration of the wedding between the monarch and
Maria Amalia of Saxony Maria Amalia (Maria Amalia Christina Franziska Xaveria Flora Walburga; 24 November 1724 – 27 September 1760) was Queen of Spain from 10 August 1759 until her death in 1760 as the wife of King Charles III. Previously, she had been Queen of Nap ...
. Painted in a cloister vault, it was the work of Francesco de Mura, while the
trompe l'oeil A trompe is a water-powered air compressor, commonly used before the advent of the electric-powered compressor. A trompe is somewhat like an airlift pump working in reverse. Trompes were used to provide compressed air for bloomery furnaces ...
were by Vincenzo Re. It represents the ''Royal Genius and the virtues of the King and Queen'' (these are ''Fortitude'', ''Justice'', ''Clemency'' and ''Magnimity'' for the sovereign, and ''Loyalty'', ''Prudence'', ''Courage'' and ''Beauty'' for the queen). Also painted was '' Imeneo, goddess of weddings, crushing Evil. ''On all four sides is the ''Allegory of the Four Parts of the World'', in monochrome, on a gold background. On an easel is displayed a fragment of the early baroque decoration of the vault, dating from 1622 to 1629 and depicting the exploits of
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, 3rd Duke of Alba (29 October 150711 December 1582), known as the Grand Duke of Alba (, ) in Spain and Portugal and as the Iron Duke () or shortly 'Alva' in the Netherlands, was a Spaniards, Spanish noblema ...
. The doors, painted with tempera on a gold background, are attributed to the workshop of Antonio Dominici and were made between 1774 and 1776. The entire decoration of the room was completely redone in neo-Baroque style in 1862 by Pietro Cheloni, being the first space redecorated in the Savoy period. Along with the large consoles and mirrors, two large Gobelin tapestries were also placed, a gift from the Apostolic Nunciature to Naples in 1719 and dedicated to the Sun King, represented through the ''Allegory of the Elements.'' However, during the Allied occupation this room was used as a performance hall for the English troops. so several decorative elements were lost, such as the parquet, the sumptuous frames of the tapestries, the wall sconces or the rocaille overdoors with medallions. The furniture is now completed by stools dating back to 1815. The Neoclassical Room (room III), so called because of its decorative style, was designed by Gaetano Genovese. On its walls are paintings such as the ''Staircase of the Royal Palace with the exit of the Bourbon princesses after the wedding'', by Antonio Dominici, and the ''Royal Chapel of Naples with the wedding of Maria Theresa and Maria Luisa of Bourbon with Francis II of Habsburg and Ferdinand III of Lorraine'', an event that took place on 12 August 1790. There are also several tempera paintings on paper, made by Anton Hartinger and Franz Xaver Petter, which belonged to
María Isabella of Spain Maria Isabella of Spain (; 6 July 1789 – 13 September 1848) was List of consorts of the Two Sicilies, Queen of the Two Sicilies from 4 January 1825 until 8 November 1830 as the wife of Francis I of the Two Sicilies. Infanta of Spain She was t ...
. In a niche of the
exedra An exedra (: exedras or exedrae) is a semicircular architecture, architectural recess or platform, sometimes crowned by a semi-dome, and either set into a building's façade or free-standing. The original Greek word ''ἐξέδρα'' ('a seat ou ...
there is a marble statue by Giovanni De Crescenzo dating from 1841 and representing a ''Winged Nymph''. The Second Antechamber (room IV) was in the time of Charles of Bourbon the "Antechamber of the Officers". It preserves a ceiling from the viceregal period and mannerist style that represents the glorious episodes of the reign of
Alfonso V of Aragon Alfonso the Magnanimous (Alfons el Magnànim in Catalan language, Catalan) (139627 June 1458) was King of Aragon and King of Sicily (as Alfons V) and the ruler of the Crown of Aragon from 1416 and King of Naples (as Alfons I) from 1442 until his ...
,{{refn, group="note", The frescoes, whose titles were transcribed on the different cornices, successively represent ''Alfonso enters Naples'', ''Care of the arts and letters'', The city from Genoa offers the keys to Alfonso the Magnanimous, Alfonso gives the Order of the Golden Fleece to Alfonso, and Alfonso's royal investiture. The same subject can be found in some Roman palaces also built by Fontana for Pope Sixtus V, and was painted by Belisario Corenzio and his workshop around 1622.{{Harvsp, Sale, ref=Sale, 2014, p=9 The walls contain paintings from the
Seicento The Seicento (, ) is Italian history and culture during the 17th century. The Seicento saw the end of the Italian Renaissance, Renaissance movement in Italy and the beginning of the Counter-Reformation and the Baroque era. The word means "six hu ...
, such as the Vestment of Saint Aspreno by Massimo Stanzione. The famous Pala Colonna by Raphael, acquired by King Ferdinand IV and taken into exile by Francis II in 1860, also hung there; It is currently in the
Metropolitan Museum The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the third-largest museum in the world and the largest art museum in the Americas. With 5.36 million v ...
in New York.{{Harvsp, Porzio, 1997, p=22 The furnishings include a console of Neapolitan manufacture from 1780,{{Harvsp, Porzio, 2014, p=78 19th century armchairs and mirrors, and other
Empire style The Empire style (, ''style Empire'') is an early-nineteenth-century design movement in architecture, furniture, other decorative arts, and the visual arts, representing the second phase of Neoclassicism. It flourished between 1800 and 1815 duri ...
furniture brought here by the Murat family. There are also clocks and candelabra by the bronzer Pierre-Philippe Thomire and 19th-century Chinese porcelain vases, which
Nicholas I of Russia Nicholas I, group=pron (Russian language, Russian: Николай I Павлович; – ) was Emperor of Russia, List of rulers of Partitioned Poland#Kings of the Kingdom of Poland, King of Congress Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland from 18 ...
gave to Ferdinand II on the occasion of his trip to Naples in 1845. The Third Antechamber (room V) was known in the 18th century as the "Antechamber of the Titled". Its ceiling is decorated with a fresco by Giuseppe Cammarano, ''Pallas Athena crowning Fidelity'', painted in 1818, and referring to the restoration of Ferdinand I to the throne of the
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies () was a kingdom in Southern Italy from 1816 to 1861 under the control of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, Bourbons. The kingdom was the largest sovereign state by popula ...
.{{Harvsp, Sale, ref=Sale, 2014, p=10 The walls are decorated with a series of tapestries of Neapolitan manufacture, including the ''Rape of Proserpina'' by Pietro Duranti, made in 1762 from a preparatory
cartoon A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently Animation, animated, in an realism (arts), unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or s ...
by Girolamo Starace Franchis, which was recommended by Luigi Vanvitelli. This coexists with four other works, two by Sebastiano Pieroni, the ''Head of an Old Man'' and the ''Head of an Old Woman;'' one by Antonio Rispoli, ''Portrait of Young Women with Blue Cloak''; and another by Gaetano Leurie, ''Figure of a Woman with Earrings''. The pictorial works in the room are completed by ''Portrait of a Lady'' by Nicholas Lanier and ''Lot and his Daughters'' by Massimo Stanzione.{{Harvsp, Touring Club Italiano, 2008, p=126 The furniture is in the
Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
and neo-Rococo styles and consists of a console table and mirrors from the second half of the 19th century. The ornaments include French porcelain vases from the 19th century, decorated with biblical figures and dancers from Pompeii, by Raffaele Giovine, who also painted two other vases from 1842, manufactured in Sèvres, placed on small columns and decorated with scenes and floral motifs. The Throne Room or the Room of the Kiss of Hands (room VI) underwent several decorative changes throughout its history, but its function remained unchanged (with the exception of the Muratian period). The Baroque decoration with sumptuous hangings and a large illusionistic fresco was redone in 1818, when Ferdinand I wanted to erase the memory of the French interlude by redecorating the most symbolic space of the palace. Antonio De Simone designed a new stucco ceiling by Valério Villareale and Domenico Masucci depicting the ''Fourteen Provinces'' ''of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies'' in the form of female figures with crowns.{{Harvsp, Sale, ref=Sale, 2014, p=11 A new hanging and a canopy of red
velvet Velvet is a type of woven fabric with a dense, even pile (textile), pile that gives it a distinctive soft feel. Historically, velvet was typically made from silk. Modern velvet can be made from silk, linen, cotton, wool, synthetic fibers, silk ...
embroidered with fleurs-de-lis in gold thread were also installed that same year. All this changed radically during the Savoy period; the gilded fleur-de-lis were removed in 1862, and a new "Turin brocade" and canopy were installed in the Palazzo dei Normanni in 1877. After the brocade was lost during the Allied occupation, it was replaced by the simpler hangings of today.{{Harvsp, Porzio, 1997, pp=19–22 The furniture, meanwhile, dates from the 1840s and was made in the
Empire style The Empire style (, ''style Empire'') is an early-nineteenth-century design movement in architecture, furniture, other decorative arts, and the visual arts, representing the second phase of Neoclassicism. It flourished between 1800 and 1815 duri ...
in Neapolitan workshops; They are complemented by four corner torchères from the Murat period, made in Sarreguemines, and three 18th-century chairs from the gilded wood, covered with amaranth velvet. The throne, also from the late Bourbon period (1850s) and in the Empire style, imitates the throne of
Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
in the
Tuileries Palace The Tuileries Palace (, ) was a palace in Paris which stood on the right bank of the Seine, directly in the west-front of the Louvre Palace. It was the Parisian residence of most French monarchs, from Henri IV to Napoleon III, until it was b ...
, designed by
Percier and Fontaine Percier and Fontaine was a noted partnership between French architects Charles Percier and Pierre François Léonard Fontaine. History Together, Percier and Fontaine were inventors and major proponents of the rich and grand, consciously archa ...
. The dominant eagle and the coat of arms of the House of Savoy were added after 1860. Due to the sumptuousness of its hangings, the Throne Room was not adorned with paintings, but since the 20th century it has displayed several royal portraits.{{refn, group="note", These are: ''Ferdinand I dedicating the basilica-sanctuary of St. Francis of Paola'' by
Vincenzo Camuccini Vincenzo Camuccini (22 February 1771 – 2 September 1844) was an Italian Neoclassicism, Neoclassical painter. He was considered the premier academic painter of his time in Rome. Biography Early life and education Camuccini was born in Rome, ...
; ''Ferdinand IV and Maria Carolina of Austria'' by Francesco Saverio Candido, dated around 1790 and donated in April 2008 by the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation of
Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
; a series of portraits painted by Giuseppe Bonito depicting the ''Turkish and Tripoli Ambassadors'', who arrived in Naples between 1740 and 1741 to sign political and commercial treaties; and finally, 18th-century pastel portraits after
Anton Raphael Mengs Anton Raphael Mengs (12 March 1728 – 29 June 1779) was a German Neoclassicism, Neoclassical painter. Early life Mengs was born on 12 March 1728, at Ústí nad Labem in the Kingdom of Bohemia, the son of Ismael Mengs, a Danish-born painter wh ...
of ''Maria Antonia of Bavaria and Little Princesses'' and the ''Electors of Saxony''.{{Harvsp, Borbonico, ref=Borbonico, p=5 The so-called General's Passage (Room VII) is accessed via a corridor decorated with white and gold stucco, and was given its present neoclassical appearance between 1841 and 1845.{{Harvsp, Sale, ref=Sale, 2014, p=12 Among the paintings on display are the ''Stories of Judith'' by Tommaso De Vivo, several paintings on religious themes by Neapolitan artists and one by François Marius Granet. In the room there is a statue in
mahogany Mahogany is a straight- grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Universit ...
and bronze by the artist Thomire, which belonged to Caroline Bonaparte and represents ''Psyche''. The furniture consists of a 19th century English-made stool, with legs shaped like a lion's claw and decorated on the front with reproductions of shells. The Ambassadors' Hall (room VIII) was a transitional space between the reception rooms facing the square and the private rooms facing the sea. Here the ambassadors waited to be received by the monarch in the next room.{{Harvsp, Sale, ref=Sale, 2014, p=13 It was conceived as a French-style Appartement, that is, a space where the owner exhibited his most precious art collections. However, it was a restricted space, which in the viceregal era was used for the meetings of the most important governing body, the Collateral Council. The ceiling paintings date from that period, inserted in fourteen compartments surrounded by gilded stucco and representing the great moments of the
House of Austria The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
and several episodes from the life of Ferrante of Aragon.{{refn, group="note", The frescoes are: ''Departure of Mariana of Austria from Final Ligure'', ''Entry of Mariana of Austria into Madrid'', ''Marriage of Mariana of Austria with Philip III of Spain'', ''War against Louis XII of France'', ''The Spanish rescue Genoa, besieged by the French'', ''War against Alfonso of Portugal'', ''Battle against the Moors in the mountains of La Alpujarra'', ''Battle against the Moors of Granada'', ''Conquest of the Canaries'', ''Triumphal entry of Ferrante of Aragon into Barcelona'', ''Expulsion of the Jews from Spain'', ''Oath of loyalty of the Sicilians to Ferrante'', ''Discovery of the New World'' and ''Meeting of Saint Francis of Paola with Ferrante of Aragon'' These paintings, executed in the third decade of the 17th century, are attributed to Belisario Corenzio and his workshop, with the assistance of Onofrio and Andrea di Lione; except those dedicated to Mariana of Austria, attributed to Massimo Stanzione, and after 1640. In the four corners of the ceiling are the Bourbon shields, although during the restorations the emblems of Fernando Ruiz de Castro, patron of the work, appeared below them.{{Harvsp, Viceregno, 2015, p=6{{Harvsp, Porzio, 2014, p=79 Originally the room was decorated with a large number of paintings, however between 1829 and 1832 a large part of the palace's ancient painting collection was sent to the '' Real Museo Borbonico'', then the room was covered with a blue hanging (now in the Second Antechamber) and four tapestries: ''Allegory of the Sea'' and ''Allegory of the Earth'' by Louis Ovis de la Gira; and two other Gobelins with the ''History of Henry IV'' dating from 1790 and acquired as a model for a series of tapestries destined for the Royal Palace of Carditello. The furniture is in the Empire style of 1840 and two clocks from the Napoleonic period stand out, decorated respectively with the ''Allegory of Time'' and the ''Genius of the Arts''. The now called Maria Cristina Room (room IX) in honour of the first wife of Ferdinand II, was during the time of Charles of Bourbon the "Room where His Majesty dresses", while during the French period it was the "Room ''à léver''", it was therefore a semi-public space intended for morning receptions or ''levers''. In addition, it allowed access to the king's private apartments in the Belvedere Wing and the hanging garden. After the reform of 1837–1844 it lost its
residential A residential area is a land used in which houses, housing predominates, as opposed to industrial district, industrial and Commercial Area, commercial areas. Housing may vary significantly between, and through, residential areas. These include ...
use and became the "Council Hall". Originally, it was decorated with a fresco by Nicolo Maria Rossi from 1737 depicting the
Siege of Gaeta (1734) The siege of Gaeta was a siege during the War of Polish Succession fought at Gaeta, Italy. The Habsburgs at Gaeta withstood four months of siege from the Bourbon armies under the Duke of Parma (the future Charles III of Spain). They were defe ...
, but in 1763 the vault had to be rebuilt due to structural problems and a new fresco of ''The Chariot of Aurora'' by Francesco de Mura was made. Unfortunately, this was lost during the bombings and the Allied occupation of Naples (1943–1946). The paintings that decorate the room are of sacred themes and date from the 16th and 17th centuries, such as ''
Virgin and Child In Christian art, a Madonna () is a religious depiction of the Blessed Virgin Mary in a singular form or sometimes accompanied by the Child Jesus. These images are central icons for both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches. The word ...
'' and ''Virgin and Child and Saint John'', attributed to Pedro de Rubiales, who was inspired for their creation by the work of
Filippino Lippi Filippino Lippi (probably 1457 – 18 April 1504) was an Italian Renaissance painter mostly working in Florence, Italy during the later years of the Early Renaissance and first few years of the High Renaissance. He also worked in Rome for a ...
; ''Circumcision of Jesus'', by the school of Ippolito Scarsella; and ''
Massacre of the Innocents The Massacre (or Slaughter) of the Innocents is a story recounted in the Nativity narrative of the Gospel of Matthew ( 2:16– 18) in which Herod the Great, king of Judea, orders the execution of all male children who are two years old and u ...
'', by
Andrea Vaccaro Andrea Vaccaro (baptised on 8 May 1604 – 18 January 1670) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. Vaccaro was in his time one of the most successful painters in Naples, a city then under Spanish rule. Very successful and valued in his li ...
. The furniture dates from around 1840 and among the ornaments are two Sèvres porcelain vases decorated by Jean-Baptiste-Gabriel Langlacé with ''Seasons'', given by the
Duchess of Berry Duke of Berry () or Duchess of Berry () was a title in the Peerage of France. The Berry, France, Duchy of Berry, centred on Bourges, was originally created as an appanage for junior members of the House of France, French royal family and was fre ...
to her father Francis I in 1830. There are also two clocks, one with the image of an ''African Woman'', from 1795, and another with portraits of ''
John II of France John II (; 26 April 1319 – 8 April 1364), called John the Good (French: ''Jean le Bon''), was King of France from 1350 until his death in 1364. When he came to power, France faced several disasters: the Black Death, which killed between a thir ...
'' and ''
Philip the Bold Philip II the Bold (; ; 17 January 1342 – 27 April 1404) was Duke of Burgundy and ''jure uxoris'' Count of Flanders, Artois and Burgundy. He was the fourth and youngest son of King John II of France and Bonne of Luxembourg. Philip was th ...
''.{{Harvsp, Sale, ref=Sale, 2014, p=15 The former Rey's private oratory (room X), is a small room located next to the Maria Cristina Room. On its walls are displayed five paintings from 1760, from the royal chapel of Capodimonte. All of them have the ''Nativity'' as their theme, and were the work of Francesco Liani, court painter during the reign of Charles of Bourbon. In the center of the room is a wooden altar from the 19th century and behind it the silver-plated copper sarcophagus of Maria Christina of Savoy, who died in 1836 giving birth to the future Francis II, was buried in the basilica of Santa Chiara and later beatified.{{Harvsp, Sale, ref=Sale, 2014, p=16 The Hall of the Great Captain (room XI) owes its name to the fresco cycle ''Stories of Gonzalo de Córdoba'' by
Battistello Caracciolo Giovanni Battista Caracciolo (also called Battistello) (1578–1635) was an Italian artist and important Neapolitan follower of Caravaggio. He was a member of the murderous Cabal of Naples, with Belisario Corenzio and Giambattista Caracciolo ...
, which has as its theme episodes of the Spanish conquest of the kingdom of Naples by
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba (1 September 1453 – 2 December 1515) was a Spanish general and statesman. He led military campaigns during the Conquest of Granada and the Italian Wars, after which he served as Viceroy of Naples. For his e ...
, called the Great Captain. During the 18th century, this room, which had no windows, served as a bedroom for the king's valet. The paintings on the walls come from the
Farnese collection The Farnese Collection is one of the first collections of artistic items from Greco-Roman antiquity. It includes some of the most influential classical works, including the sculptures that were part of the Farnese Marbles, their collection of st ...
and among them stands out ''Pier Luigi Farnese'', attributed to
Titian Tiziano Vecellio (; 27 August 1576), Latinized as Titianus, hence known in English as Titian ( ), was an Italian Renaissance painter, the most important artist of Renaissance Venetian painting. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, near Belluno. Ti ...
, a series of figurative epigrams by
Otto van Veen Otto van Veen (also known by his Latinized names Otto Venius or Octavius Vaenius; 1556 – 6 May 1629), was a Painting, painter, Drawing, draughtsman, and Humanism, humanist active primarily in Antwerp and City of Brussels, Brussels in the late ...
, and a tapestry with the ''Allegory of Chastity'' from the series of ''Conjugal Virtues''.{{refn, group="note", The series devised by Luigi Vanvitelli and Ferdinando Fuga was based on cartoons, currently in the Palace of Caserta, made by important painters of the time: the ''Allegory of Religion'' by
Pompeo Batoni Pompeo Girolamo Batoni (25 January 1708 – 4 February 1787) was an Italian painter who displayed a solid technical knowledge in his portrait work and in his numerous Allegory, allegorical and mythological pictures. The high number of foreign vis ...
; the ''Allegory of Innocence'' and the ''Allegories of Charity and Generosity'' by Giuseppe Bonito; the ''Allegories of Justice and Peace'' by Stefano Pozzi; the ''Allegories of Fortitude and Vigilance'' by Corrado Giaquinto and the ''Allegory of Modesty'' by Francesco de Mura. The tapestries were woven from 1763 to 1767 with silver and silver-gilt threads by Pietro Duranti at the Royal Tapestry Factory of Naples and were intended for the bedroom of Ferdinand IV in the now-disappeared Belvedere wing.{{Harvsp, Ascioni, 2010The furniture dates from the 18th century and includes consoles and sofas in the
Louis XVI style Louis XVI style, also called ''Louis Seize'', is a style of architecture, furniture, decoration and art which developed in France during the 19-year reign of Louis XVI (1774–1792), just before the French Revolution. It saw the final phase of t ...
, carved by Neapolitan craftsmen.{{Harvsp, ref=Sale, Sale, 2014, p=17 The so-called Flamingo Room (room XII) was, like the previous room, a dark space with no direct lighting in the 18th century, served as a rear antechamber. With the renovations of the mid-19th century it was converted into a reception area and in 1840 Gennaro Maldarelli painted on the ceiling '' Tancred returns Constance to the Emperor Arrigo VI'' following a neo-Gothic aesthetic with references to the ancient
history of Sicily The history of Sicily has been influenced by numerous ethnic groups. It has seen Sicily controlled by powers, including Phoenician and Carthaginian, Greek, Roman, Vandal and Ostrogoth, Byzantine, Arab, Norman, Aragonese, Spanish, Austrians, ...
. The ceiling is surrounded by elaborate stuccos from the same period with coats of arms of the four Neapolitan provinces. The room is named after the numerous
Flemish painting Flemish painting flourished from the early 15th century until the 17th century, gradually becoming distinct from the painting of the rest of the Low Countries, especially the modern Netherlands. In the early period, up to about 1520, the painti ...
s from the 17th century that adorn it.{{refn, group="note", Among the works on display are ''Portrait of a Flute Player'' by Alexis Grimou; ''Portrait of a Gentleman'' by
Bartholomeus van der Helst Bartholomeus van der Helst (1613 – buried 16 December 1670) was a Dutch painter. Considered to be one of the leading portrait painters of the Dutch Golden Age, his elegant portraits gained him the patronage of Amsterdam's elite as well as th ...
; ''Portrait of a Maid'' by Ludolf de Jongh; ''The Avaricious'', from the Farnese collection, by Marinus van Reymerswaele; ''Canoniguess'' by
Nicolaes Maes Nicolaes Maes (January 1634December 1693 (buried 24 December 1693)) was a Dutch Republic, Dutch painter known for his Genre painting, genre scenes, Portrait painting, portraits, religious compositions and the occasional still life. A pupil of Re ...
; ''Portrait of Oliver Cromwell'' by an unknown artist from the 18th century; ''Portrait of a Gentleman'', ''Portrait of a Lady'' and ''Portrait of a Magistrate'', all by Abraham van den Tempel; and ''Portrait of a Cardinal'', attributed to Giovan Battista Gaulli. and which were purchased by Domenico Venuti for Ferdinand IV in 1802 in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
.{{Harvsp, ref=Sale, Sale, 2014, p=19 Among the furniture ornaments are a 1730 clock by Charles Clay, with a mechanical barrel organ inside capable of producing ten different tones; and a ''jardinière'' table with views of Russian residences and a birdcage made by the Popov factory in Gorbunovo in Moscow, which was given to Ferdinand II during Tsar Nicholas I's trip to Naples in 1846. What is now known as the King's Study (room XIII) is a modern creation. Under Charles of Bourbon this space was occupied by two windowless rooms: a private room and the staircase leading up to the chambermaids' rooms. Genovese's renovation radically changed the space, converting it into a luxurious passageway leading to the "Queen's Etiquette Apartment". It was also Gennaro Maldarelli who painted another neo-Gothic fresco in 1840, this time the ''Disembarkation of Roger the Norman at Otranto.''{{Harvsp, ref=Sale, Sale, 2014, p=21 In the 1920s, the furniture from Ferdinand II's office in the east wing, which had been cleared to house the National Library, was installed in this room. These pieces of furniture (desk,
chest of drawers A chest of drawers, also called (especially in North American English) a dresser or a bureau, or informally a Chester Draws, is a type of cabinet (a piece of furniture) that has multiple parallel, horizontal drawers generally stacked one above a ...
and ''secretaire'') were made by the Parisian cabinetmaker Adam Weisweiler and the bronzesmith Pierre-Philippe Thomire between 1808 and 1811 for Napoleon's apartments at the
Quirinal Palace The Quirinal Palace ( ) is a historic building in Rome, Italy, the main official residence of the President of Italy, President of the Italian Republic, together with Villa Rosebery in Naples and the Tenuta di Castelporziano, an estate on the outs ...
. In 1814, after the fall of the French Empire, Murat ordered them to be moved to Capodimonte. The rest of the decoration is complemented by two Sèvres porcelain vases given in 1817 by
Louis XVIII Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. Before his reign, he spent 23 y ...
and decorated with portraits of the said sovereign and his brother the
Count of Artois The count of Artois (, ) was the ruler over the County of Artois from the 9th century until the abolition of the countship by the French Revolution, French revolutionaries in 1790. House of Artois *Odalric () *Altmar () *Adelelm (?–932) *''C ...
; and a clock and a barometer from 1812, also French. The so-called Hall of the Corps Guards (Room XXIX) was known in the 18th century as the "Dark Room", given its lack of windows. It is currently decorated with tapestries: the cycle of tapestries ''Allegory of the Elements'' (1740–1746), inspired by the models of the Grand Ducal Tapestry Factory in Florence; and a tapestry depicting the ''Allegory of'' ''Innocence'' from the series of ''Conjugal Virtues''.{{refn, group="note", The series conceived by Luigi Vanvitelli and Ferdinando Fuga was based on cartoons, currently in the Palace of Caserta, made by important painters of the time: the ''Allegory of Religion'' by
Pompeo Batoni Pompeo Girolamo Batoni (25 January 1708 – 4 February 1787) was an Italian painter who displayed a solid technical knowledge in his portrait work and in his numerous Allegory, allegorical and mythological pictures. The high number of foreign vis ...
; the ''Allegory of Innocence'' and the ''Allegories of Charity and Generosity'' by Giuseppe Bonito; the ''Allegories of Justice and Peace'' by Stefano Pozzi; the ''Allegories of Fortitude and Vigilance'' by Corrado Giaquinto and the ''Allegory of Modesty'' by Francesco de Mura. The tapestries were woven from 1763 to 1767 with silver and silver-gilt threads by Pietro Duranti at the Royal Tapestry Factory of Naples and were intended for the bedroom of Ferdinand IV in the now-disappeared Belvedere wing.{{Harvsp, Ascioni, 2010 The furniture includes stools with crossed swords from the Murat period, a Bailly clock from 1812 with a Thomire sculpture depicting ''Meditation'', and on a console, a wax bust of Queen
Maria Carolina of Austria Maria Carolina of Austria (Maria Carolina Louise Josepha Johanna Antonia; 13 August 1752 – 8 September 1814) was Queen of Naples and Sicily as the wife of King Ferdinand IV and III, who later became King of the Two Sicilies. As ''de facto' ...
.{{Harvsp, ref=Sale, Sale, 2014, p=39


Queen's Apartment

Today, this
enfilade Enfilade and defilade are concepts in military tactics used to describe a military formation's exposure to enemy fire. A formation or position is "in enfilade" if weapon fire can be directed along its longest axis. A unit or position is "in de ...
of rooms facing the sea is visited in the opposite direction, entering through the more intimate spaces and exiting through the more public rooms. Then, the tour is made in the opposite direction along the row of private rooms, located facing the courtyard. The Queen's Fourth Living Room (room XIV) received this name after Genovese's reform, since in the 18th century it was the "Queen's Bedchamber Room". The alcove with the bed was situated where the central door is now (room XXVII), next to which there were two small steps leading to the private rooms, the one on the left served as a ''cabinet'' or toilet (room XXXIV) and the one on the right as an oratory (room XXXVI). The stuccoed ceiling in rococo style by Giovanni Battista Natali dates from the Carolingian period. It features doves, a symbol of marital fidelity, ''
putti A putto (; plural putti ) is a figure in a work of art depicted as a chubby male child, usually naked and very often winged. Originally limited to profane passions in symbolism,Dempsey, Charles. ''Inventing the Renaissance Putto''. University ...
'' shooting arrows of love, hippogriffs and vases of flowers.{{Harvsp, Borbonico, ref=Borbonico, p=6 On the walls there are paintings from the Neapolitan school from the 17th and 18th century, including ''Orpheus and the Bacchantes'' and ''The Meeting of Rachel and Jacob'', by
Andrea Vaccaro Andrea Vaccaro (baptised on 8 May 1604 – 18 January 1670) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. Vaccaro was in his time one of the most successful painters in Naples, a city then under Spanish rule. Very successful and valued in his li ...
, and two canvases by
Luca Giordano Luca Giordano (18 October 1634 – 3 January 1705) was an Italian late-Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Fluent and decorative, he worked successfully in Naples, Rome, Florence, and Venice, before spending a decade in Spain. Early l ...
from the church of Santa Maria del Pianto. The Neapolitan Empire style furniture dates from 1840 to 1841, the clock with carillon is English from the 18th century, while the table top is of hard stone, made by the Opificio delle pietre dure of
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
and given by
Leopold II of Tuscany Leopold II, , English: ''Leopold John Joseph Francis Ferdinand Charles''. (3 October 1797 – 29 January 1870) was Grand Duke of Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Tuscany from 1824 to 1859. He married twice; first to Princess Maria Anna of Saxony (1799 ...
to Francis I.{{Harvsp, Porzio, 2014, p=121 The Third Queen's Salon (room XV) was the "Hand-Kissing Room" of
Maria Amalia of Saxony Maria Amalia (Maria Amalia Christina Franziska Xaveria Flora Walburga; 24 November 1724 – 27 September 1760) was Queen of Spain from 10 August 1759 until her death in 1760 as the wife of King Charles III. Previously, she had been Queen of Nap ...
and
Maria Carolina of Austria Maria Carolina of Austria (Maria Carolina Louise Josepha Johanna Antonia; 13 August 1752 – 8 September 1814) was Queen of Naples and Sicily as the wife of King Ferdinand IV and III, who later became King of the Two Sicilies. As ''de facto' ...
, and it also preserves a rocaille ceiling of white and gold stucco with representations of panoplies. It is also called the Hall of Landscapes due to the landscape paintings from the 16th to the 19th centuries that are exhibited; such as works by Pieter Mulier, representations of Spanish royal palaces by
Antonio Joli Antonio Francesco Lodovico Joli (13 March 1700 – 29 April 1777) was an Italian painter of ''vedute'' and ''capricci''. Biography Born in Modena, he first was apprenticed to Rafaello Rinaldi. He then studied in Rome under Giovanni Paolo P ...
, chronicle paintings by Jakob Philipp Hackert, the ''Seaports'' by Orazio Grevenbroeck, ''Laying of the first stone of the Basilica of San Francisco de Paola'' by Aniello de Aloysio, and ''Entry into Naples of Ferdinand I'' by Paolo Albertis. The Empire furniture dates from 1840, as does the fireplace, which reproduces the mosaic of the battle between Darius and Alexander the Great in the
House of the Faun The House of the Faun (), constructed in the 2nd century BCE during the Samnite period (180 BCE), was a grand Hellenistic residence that was framed by peristyle in Pompeii, Italy. The historical significance in this impressive estate is found in ...
at
Pompeii Pompeii ( ; ) was a city in what is now the municipality of Pompei, near Naples, in the Campania region of Italy. Along with Herculaneum, Stabiae, and Villa Boscoreale, many surrounding villas, the city was buried under of volcanic ash and p ...
; in the centre of the room is a marble and soft stone table by Giovanni Battista Calì with a depiction of Naples seen from the sea and Ferdinand II in military uniform. The Second Queen's Room (room XVI) served as the "Queen's Antechamber" in the 18th century and again retains a rococo ceiling in white stucco and gold. On the walls are paintings such as ''Venus'', ''Eros and a Satyr'' and ''Battle of Horace Cocles'' by
Luca Giordano Luca Giordano (18 October 1634 – 3 January 1705) was an Italian late-Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Fluent and decorative, he worked successfully in Naples, Rome, Florence, and Venice, before spending a decade in Spain. Early l ...
, ''Perseus and Andromeda'' and ''Rape of Europa'' by
Ilario Spolverini Ilario Spolverini (1657–1734), known as Spolverini, was an Italian painter. Biography Spolverini was born in Parma. The influence of Mercanti’s master Francesco Monti (il Brescianino), Francesco Monti, known as Brescianino, is evident in ...
; two representations of battles by Pietro Graziani; ''Fantastic Shipwreck'' by Leonardo Coccorante; and two canvases with the same theme, ''Nocturne with the Burning of Troy'', attributed to Diego Pereira. The furniture, in this case, is in the neo-baroque style and was added by the Savoys at the end of the 19th century, while the marble fireplace is from the Genovese period. The First Queen's Room (room XVII) was the "Queen's Bodyguard Room" in the 18th century, but had to be completely rebuilt after the fire of 1837. The ceiling by Gaetano Genovese dates from that period and is very similar to that of the two following rooms and those of the east wing. On the walls are paintings from the 17th century of the Italian school and other European schools belonging to the former collection of the palace: ''Return of the Prodigal Son'' by
Mattia Preti Mattia Preti (24 February 1613 – 3 January 1699) was an Italian Baroque artist who worked in Italy and Malta. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Saint John. Life Born in the small town of Taverna in Calabria, Preti was called ''Il Ca ...
, ''Orpheus'' by
Gerard van Honthorst Gerard van Honthorst (Dutch: ''Gerrit van Honthorst''; 4 November 1592 – 27 April 1656) was a Dutch Golden Age painting, Dutch Golden Age painter who became known for his depiction of artificially lit scenes, eventually receiving the nickn ...
, ''Saint Jerome'' by
Guercino Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (February 8, 1591 – December 22, 1666),Miller, 1964 better known as (il) Guercino (), was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna. The vigorous n ...
, dating from 1640, and ''Dispute of Jesus among the Doctors'' by Giovanni Antonio Galli. The Neapolitan neo-baroque furniture in white and gold, consisting of an "extra-large" sofa, armchairs and a console table, dates from the Savoy period; and the French clock with a porcelain statue of ''Mary Stuart'', from about 1840. The Second Antechamber of the Queen (room XVIII) has a white and gold stucco ceiling from the Genovese reform under Ferdinand II, while the furniture is from the reign of Joachim Murat, of Neapolitan manufacture, and the Chinese vase is from the 18th century. The paintings on display in the room belong to the Farnese collection and are mostly by Emilian artists of the 17th century.{{refn, group="note", Some of the canvases are: Saint Joachim and Anne at the Golden Gate of Jerusalem and Workshop of Saint Joseph, both by Bartolomeo Schedoni and probably from the church of Saint Francis in Piacenza; Dream of Saint Joseph by Guercino; Madonna and Child with Saints Augustine and Dominic by Giovanni Lanfranco; Saint Matthew and the Angel by Camillo Gavasetti; and ''Vision of Saint Romuald'' by Pier Francesco Mola.{{Harvsp, ref=Sale, Sale, 2014, p=26 The First Antechamber of the Queen (room XIX) was later named the Still Life Room because of the still lifes hanging on its walls.{{refn, group="note", Among these works, on the left are ''Still Life with Parrot and Rabbit'' by Giovanni Paolo Castelli, two copies of ''Still Life with Flowers and Fruit'' by Gaetano Cusati, ''Still Life with a Rooster'' by Baldassarre De Caro, ''Vase of Flowers'' by Mansù Dubuisson, ''Still Life with a Tray of Sweets and Flowers'' and ''Fruits with a Pewter Vase'', by an anonymous author; on the right, ''Still Life with Allegory of Flora and Putti'' by Gaetano Cusati, ''Fish, Crustaceans and Shells in a Landscape'', ''Table Presented with Rustic Cake, Plate of Macaroni with Grater and Piece of Cheese'' by Giacomo Nani and ''Still Life with Hunted Animals, Fillets and Plate of Egg Yolks'' by Scartellato. a genre widespread in Naples during the 18th and 19th century. Many come from the country houses and hunting lodges of the Bourbon kings.{{Harvsp, Porzio, 2014, p=123 The furniture consists of Neapolitan Empire-style consoles from the 19th century, rococo-style Sèvres porcelain vases, and a double table.{{Harvsp, ref=Sale, Sale, 2014, p=27 The Vestibule (room XX) is a large neoclassical space located in the centre of the south façade of the palace. It was created during the Genovese reform (1837–1844), which conceived a T-shaped space articulated by Corinthian columns and pilasters. It formed the fulcrum of the palace, connecting the "Queen's Etiquette Apartment", the Guest Staircase, the Hanging Garden and the eastern wing of the palace. The vault is covered in white stucco and the walls are home to four niches housing plaster copies of Roman sculptures. The other works on display also refer to neoclassical culture: engravings inspired by scenes on Greek vases in the Hamilton collection, made by Wilhelm Tischbein between 1791 and 1795; and three preparatory tempera paintings for the book of engravings '' Le Antichità di Ercolano Esposte'', from 1757 and 1792; '' Biedermeier'' furniture; or a Neo- Pompeian bronze and marble table decorated with satyrs holding shells (originally portrait medallions of the royal family) a gift from Queen Maria Isabella to her husband Francis I for his birthday on 4 October 1827. In addition, there is a temple-shaped astronomical clock, a French Napoleonic clock with enamels by Coteau, the bronze bust ''Antinous as Dionysus'' by
Guglielmo Della Porta Guglielmo della Porta (c. 1500–1577) was an Italian architect and sculptor of the late Renaissance or Mannerism, Mannerist period. He was born to a prominent North Italian family of masons, sculptors and architects. His father Giovanni Battista ...
, and the marble sculptures ''Roma Aeterna'' by Pietro Tenerani and ''Achilles with the Helmet'' by a disciple of
Thorvaldsen Thorvaldsen is a surname. People with the name include: * Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770–1844), Danish/Icelandic sculptor * Randi Thorvaldsen (1925–2011), Norwegian speedskater * Thor Thorvaldsen (1909–1987), Norwegian Olympic sailor * Unn Thorval ...
.{{Harvsp, ref=Sale, Sale, 2014, p=28


Gallery and Hall of Hercules

The so-called Gallery (room XXI) leads directly onto the Carriage Courtyard and, like the nearby Vestibule (room XX), was a link between the western core of the palace and the eastern wing. The mirrors on the walls are set between neoclassical
pilaster In architecture, a pilaster is both a load-bearing section of thickened wall or column integrated into a wall, and a purely decorative element in classical architecture which gives the appearance of a supporting column and articulates an ext ...
s, while the furniture consists of white and gold consoles from the late 18th century, as well as armchairs dating from the French decade, a gilt bronze centrepiece and French porcelain from the 19th century.{{Harvsp, Touring Club Italiano, 2008, p=127 The Hall of Hercules (Room XXII) did not exist in the original project by Domenico Fontana, being added from 1648 by the viceroy Iñigo Vélez de Guevara and inaugurated in 1652 on the occasion of the celebrations for the end of the
Reapers' War The Reapers' War (, ; , ), also known as the Catalan Revolt or Catalan Revolution, was a conflict that affected the Principality of Catalonia between 1640 and 1659, in the context of the Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659), Franco-Spanish War of 1 ...
. It was then decorated with a series of portraits of the Spanish viceroys from 1503 onwards, the work of Massimo Stanzione, later continued by
Paolo De Matteis Paolo de Matteis (also known as ''Paolo de' Matteis''; 9 February 1662 – 26 January 1728) was an List of Italian painters, Italian painter. Biography He was born in Piano Vetrale, a hamlet of Orria, in the current Province of Salerno, and died ...
, and was therefore given the name of "Hall of the Viceroys". As the "Sala Regia" (Room I) it was used for large-scale festivities and theatrical celebrations. Under the reign of Murat, between 1807 and 1809, the architect Antonio De Simone completely redecorated the space, removing the portraits and turning it into an '' antiquarium'' with plaster casts from the collection of antiquities such as the
Farnese Hercules The ''Farnese Hercules'' () is an ancient statue of Hercules made in the early third century AD and signed by Glykon, who is otherwise unknown; he was an Athenian but he may have worked in Rome. Like many other Ancient Roman sculptures it is a ...
, from which it took its name. From 1866 onwards it was again redecorated with a frieze with the coats of arms of the provinces of the unified Italy (destroyed during Allied bombings), the coat of arms of the Savoy family and a series of tapestries of ''Stories of Eros and Psyche'' manufactured between 1783 and 1789 by the Royal Tapestry Factory of Naples. The tapestries, in a late Rococo style that foreshadows Neoclassicism, are inspired by the fable of
Apuleius Apuleius ( ), also called Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis (c. 124 – after 170), was a Numidians, Numidian Latin-language prose writer, Platonist philosopher and rhetorician. He was born in the Roman Empire, Roman Numidia (Roman province), province ...
and were made by Pietro Duranti from cartoons by Fedele and Alessandro Fischetti.{{Harvsp, Porzio, 2014, p=137 The room is also decorated with a French carpet from the second half of the 17th century made by the Savonnerie Manufactory for the
Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...
and later brought to Naples by Murat;
Boulle Boulle is a French surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Jean Boulle, the father of André Charles Boulle, a cabinetmaker to the King of France * André Charles Boulle (1642–1732), French cabinetmaker to the Sun King * Étienne- ...
clock with marquetry, decorated with an ''Atlante holding the globe'', by Isaac Thuret; a green Sèvres porcelain vase with a vignette depicting ''Homer among the potters of Samos'' by Antoine Béranger, donated to Francis I in 1830; and two "extra-large" neo-Rocaille vases of
Limoges Limoges ( , , ; , locally ) is a city and Communes of France, commune, and the prefecture of the Haute-Vienne Departments of France, department in west-central France. It was the administrative capital of the former Limousin region. Situated o ...
from 1847, from the Ballroom in the east wing and painted in Naples by Raffaele Giovine with scenes illustrating the abdication of Charles, Bourbon in favour of Ferdinand IV in 1759.


The Queen's private rooms

The sovereign's private and service rooms were located behind the main state rooms, facing the courtyard of honour. Today, it houses a collection of furniture and paintings from different periods from different areas of the palace. The first backroom (room XXIII) has a neoclassical ceiling designed by Genovese. On the walls are displayed six canvases of the ''Seasons and work in the fields'' by Francesco Celebrano and from the Royal Palace of Carditello. The furniture is neo-baroque and Neapolitan in manufacture. In the centre of the room there is a revolving lectern, typical of monasteries, made by Giovanni Uldrich in 1792. It comes from the library of Maria Carolina of Bourbon and allowed several books to be consulted at the same time, placed on eight hanging shelves that could be brought closer to the desk by turning a crank.{{Harvsp, ref=Sale, Sale, 2014, p=32 The second private room (room XXIV) served in the 18th century as a cabinet where books were kept the queen's porcelain collection, and still preserves the rocaille ceiling of gilded and white stucco from the 18th century. It is now dedicated to
Don Quixote , the full title being ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'', is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the novel is considered a founding work of Western literature and is of ...
as it hangs nineteen preparatory canvases, out of thirty-eight completed,{{refn, group="note", They were painted by court artists such as Giuseppe Bonito, Benedetto Torre, Giovanni Battista Rossi, Antonio Dominici and Antonio Guastaferro, while the drawings on the doors were made by Gaetano Magri, Orlando Filippini and Giuseppe Bracci. which have as their theme the ''Stories of Don Quixote'' and served as a model for a series of tapestries, woven between 1758 and 1779 by Pietro Duranti at the Royal Tapestry Factory of Naples; They were commissioned by Charles of Bourbon for the king's bedroom at the
Royal Palace of Caserta The Royal Palace of Caserta ( ; ) is a former royal residence in Caserta, Campania, north of Naples in southern Italy, constructed by the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies as their main residence as Kingdom of Naples, kings of Naples. The complex ...
and later moved to the
Quirinal Palace The Quirinal Palace ( ) is a historic building in Rome, Italy, the main official residence of the President of Italy, President of the Italian Republic, together with Villa Rosebery in Naples and the Tenuta di Castelporziano, an estate on the outs ...
in Rome.{{Harvsp, ref=Borbonico, Borbonico, p=8 The furniture dates from the first quindenio of the 19th century. The room is decorated with two Sèvres porcelain vases, decorated by Etienne Le Guay with an ''Allegory of Music and Dance'' from 1822; and a porcelain and gilded brass centrepiece, with porcelain plaques painted by Raffaele Giovine with the royal palaces of Naples, Capodimonte and Caserta, donated to Ferdinand II by the Municipality of Naples on the occasion of the promulgation of the Constitution of 1848. The third and last room (room XXV) also preserves the rocaille ceiling with reticular motifs from the second half of the 18th century.{{Harvsp, ref=Sale, Sale, 2014, p=34 The walls are hung with canvases of landscapes and costumbristas by painters active in Naples in the 19th century.{{refn, group="note", Some of them are: three ''Seascapes'' by Salvatore Fregola; ''St. Mark's Square'' by Frans Vervloet from 1837; ''Tasso in the Convent of San Onofrio'' and ''Death of Tasso'', both by Franz Ludwig Catel from 1834; ''Landscape with Castle'' by Achille Carrillo; ''Fishermen'' by Orest Kiprenskij from 1829; and a series of canvases by Pasquale Mattej documenting different aspects of the folklore and history of the regions of the Kingdom of Naples. In addition, you can also see tapestries such as ''Allegory of Air'', ''of Water'' and ''of Earth'' by Domenico Del Ross made by the Royal Tapestry Factory of Naples between 1746 and 1750, and inspired by those of the Grand Ducal Tapestry Factory in Florence. The furniture consists of English consoles from the 18th century, painted in white and gold; stools with goat legs dating from the reign of Joachim Murat; furniture (French neo-Gothic desk and bookcase from the 1830s) from the office of René Ilarie Degas (grandfather of
Edgar Degas Edgar Degas (, ; born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas, ; 19 July 183427 September 1917) was a French Impressionist artist famous for his pastel drawings and oil paintings. Degas also produced bronze sculptures, prints, and drawings. Degas is e ...
) in the Palazzo Pignatelli di Monteleone, donated in 1993 by Nicola Jannuzzi and Olga Guerrero de Balde; and the ''Portrait of Therese Aurore Degas'' by Joseph-Boniface Franque. The now called Queen's Passage (room XXVI) is one of the side passages of her alcove (room XXVII) that connected the previous private room with her bedroom (room XIV), in the 18th century it served as a private oratory. In 1990, during a restoration, the false ceiling was removed, revealing a fresco depicting the ''Allegory of the matrimonial union'', painted by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro on the occasion of the wedding of Charles of Bourbon and
Maria Amalia of Saxony Maria Amalia (Maria Amalia Christina Franziska Xaveria Flora Walburga; 24 November 1724 – 27 September 1760) was Queen of Spain from 10 August 1759 until her death in 1760 as the wife of King Charles III. Previously, she had been Queen of Nap ...
in 1738, as evidenced by the signature and date present on the fresco and the artist's requests for payment in 1739. Rococo in style with neo-mannerist features, the work was covered around 1837 when the private rooms were moved to the second floor.{{Harvsp, ref=Borbonico, Borbonico, p=9 The paintings have literary and romantic themes, such as Tommaso De Vivo's ''Dante's Inferno'' and Beniamino De Francesco's ''Tasso in Sorrento''.{{Harvsp, ref=Sale, Sale, 2014, p=36 Among the furniture, a Sorrento
marquetry Marquetry (also spelled as marqueterie; from the French ''marqueter'', to variegate) is the art and craft of applying pieces of wood veneer, veneer to a structure to form decorative patterns or designs. The technique may be applied to case furn ...
table stands out.{{Harvsp, Porzio, 2014, p=160 The Alcove of Maria Amalia of Saxony (room XXVII) contained the sovereign's bed, and was open until 1837 with a large arch to the bedroom (room XIV). Its ceiling was decorated in the course of the 19th century with stucco, covering the previous frescoes painted in 1739 by Nicola Maria Rossi. Among the paintings of Neapolitan customs on display are Two Fishermen by Orest Adamovič Kiprenskij, presented at the Neapolitan Exhibition of 1829; The Wounded Bandit by Luigi Rocco from 1837; Easter Blessing by Raffaele D'Auria; and ''Sleeping Fisherman'' by Salvatore Castellano.{{Harvsp, ref=Sale, Sale, 2014, p=37 The so-called ''
Boudoir A (; ) is a woman's private sitting room or salon in a furnished residence, usually between the dining room and the bedroom, but can also refer to a woman's private bedroom. The term derives from the French verb ''bouder'' (to sulk or pout ...
'' of the Queen (room XXXIV)
is the other side passage that communicated with her bedroom (room XIV), originally it served as a toilet. Also after the demolition of the false ceiling another fresco by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro came to light, depicting the ''Joy of the Royal Majesty with Peace, Fortune and Dominion''. On the walls are placed various Chinese or Chinesque works from the
Villa Favorita, Ercolano Villa Favorita, also known as Real Villa della Favorita, was a royal rural palace (villa) in Ercolano, Italy. History A small villa previously stood at the site. Prince Giuseppe Beretta, Duke of Simari and Marquis of Mesagne, commissioned designs ...
as: a series of small watercolours drawn in Canton in the mid-18th century that reproduce the themes dealt with in a Chinese text, the ''Gengzhitu'', such as rice cultivation, porcelain production and silk manufacturing; or life-size representations of a ''Mandarin'' and a ''Chinese Lady'', by Lorenzo Giusto from 1797. In the display cases there are
urinal A urinal (, ) is a sanitary plumbing fixture similar to a toilet, but for urination only. Urinals are often provided in men's public restrooms in Western countries (less so in Muslim countries). They are usually used in a standing position. ...
s, desk services, instruments from the Royal Printing Office, fragments of pavement, an elliptical granite and marble desk and a porphyry table.{{Harvsp, ref=Sale, Sale, 2014, p=38 Room XXVIII is a passageway.


The Royal Chapel

{{See also, Chapel Royal of Naples The current Palatine Chapel (room XXX) is an interpretive recreation made after the bombings of World War II.{{Harvsp, D'Arbitrio, Ziviello, 2003, pp=161–162 The original chapel, already included in Fontana's project, was started in 1643 by the Duke of Medina de las Torres and finished and consecrated to the Assumption by the Admiral of Castile in 1646. The work was directed by Francesco Antonio Picchiatti, while the marbles were made by Giulio and Andrea Lazzari, the frescoes of the apse by
Giovanni Lanfranco Giovanni Lanfranco (26 January 1582 – 30 November 1647) was an Italian Baroque painter. Biography Giovanni Gaspare Lanfranco was born in Parma, the third son of Stefano and Cornelia Lanfranchi, and was placed as a page in the household of Coun ...
, those of the dome by Charles Mellin, the paintings of San Gennaro and San Paolino de Nola on the sides of the presbytery by Onofrio de Lione and the large altar painting with the Immaculate Conception was the work of
José de Ribera Jusepe de Ribera (; baptised 17 February 1591 – 3 November 1652) was a Spanish painter and printmaker. Ribera, Francisco de Zurbarán, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, and the singular Diego Velázquez, are regarded as the major artists of Spani ...
. Decades later, the viceroy Pedro Antonio de Aragón ordered Ribera's painting to be sent to Spain and in its place a large statue of the Immaculate Conception sculpted in marble by Cosimo Fanzago to be placed in 1639.{{Cite web, url=http://www.ub.edu/enbach/es/escenario/4-6/la-cappella-palatina.html, title=Enbach. Crossed visions. The Viceroys of Naples and the Image of the Spanish Monarchy in the Baroque, accessdate=2020-11-15, website=www.ub.edu Further modifications took place during the viceregal period: around 1656 the Count of Castrillo commissioned sumptuous paintings and stuccos for the walls from Giovan Battista Magno; while in 1688, after the dome collapsed due to an earthquake, Niccolò De’ Rossi and Giacomo del Pò painted the sacred stories on the cornice (partially preserved), finished only in 1705. The first major transformation of the chapel took place during the reign of
Joachim Murat Joachim Murat ( , also ; ; ; 25 March 1767 – 13 October 1815) was a French Army officer and statesman who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Under the French Empire he received the military titles of Marshal of the ...
, who considered that the space was neither luxurious enough nor in keeping with French ceremonial standards, which required the sovereign to attend mass on a platform in front of the altar and not in a canopy next to the gospel, as had been customary with Spanish etiquette. The decorator Étienne-Chérubin Leconte presented an initial project that sought to lower the floor level of the chapel and create the galleries at the level of the ambulatory. However, it was judged too costly and complicated and in December 1812, another project was approved which planned to build the galleries on painted wooden columns without altering the level of the chapel. The works were carried out in 1813 and the chapel was inaugurated on 1 January 1814. The new chapel was completed with paintings of saints "alla maniera antica" located below the entablature by Gennaro Bisogni (preserved only in the apse) and a sumptuous altar of Hard stones from the Church of Santa Teresa degli Scalzi, whose religious community had been suppressed in 1808 by Joseph Bonaparte. After the return of the Bourbons in 1815, no significant changes were made to the Palatine Chapel beyond the removal of the symbols of the French decade. Nor did Genovese's great reform affect the design conceived by Leconte. It was only around 1910, during the Savoy period, that the royal gallery in front of the altar and the two side galleries were removed, leaving only the elaborate gallery behind the altar for the choir. Badly damaged during the Second World War, the chapel was deconsecrated and used as a display for the vestments of the saints, which had previously been kept in the sacristy.{{Harvsp, ref=Sale, Sale, 2014, p=40 Its appearance was profoundly altered by the post-war reconstruction, which chose to eliminate much of the 19th-century decoration that had survived the conflict to recreate an arbitrary and decontextualized version of the chapel in the 17th century, rebuilding the Corinthian pilasters above Bisogni's paintings of saints. A new space was thus created, emptied of much of its past. Currently, the chapel is entered through a 16th-century wooden gate from the old Viceregal Palace. It has a single nave layout with three chapels on each side; The stucco and pictorial decorations are the work of artists from the Academy of Fine Arts of Naples such as
Domenico Morelli Domenico Morelli (4 August 182313 August 1901) was an Italians, Italian painter, who mainly produced historical and religious works. Morelli was immensely influential in the arts of the second half of the 19th century, both as director of the Ac ...
.{{Harvsp, Touring Club Italiano, 2008, p=128 In the chapel is the Neapolitan nativity scene, nativity scene from the
Banco di Napoli Banco di Napoli S.p.A., among the oldest banks in the world, was an Italian banking subsidiary of Intesa Sanpaolo group, as one of the 6 retail brands other than "Intesa Sanpaolo". It was acquired by the Italian banking group Sanpaolo IMI (the ...
, made up of more than three hundred pieces from the 18th century and 19th century.


The eastern wing

The current eastern wing of the Royal Palace of Naples dates back to the 17th century, when several heterogeneous and service buildings were erected in the rear gardens of the palace (which were once the gardens of the Viceregal Palace and before that of the
Castel Nuovo Castel Nuovo (; ; 'New Castle'), often called Maschio Angioino (; ; ' Angevin Keep'), is a medieval castle located in front of Piazza Municipio and the city hall ( Palazzo San Giacomo) in central Naples, Campania, Italy. Its scenic location and ...
). In a slightly oblique position facing the sea, the accommodation of the Equerry and the Chief Butler was built, with the coach houses on the ground floor (rebuilt by Giacomo Passaro in 1832). Between 1758 and 1760, following the original monumental architecture of Fontana, another parallel wing was built facing the city. It was called the "New Wing" ({{Langx, it, Braccio Nuovo) or "Porcelain Wing" ({{Langx, it, Braccio della Porcellana ) because it housed the Royal Porcelain Factory of Capodimonte, porcelain factory before it was moved to Capodimonte. The Courtyard of the Coaches was delimited between these two wings of different architecture. Between 1838 and 1840, Genovese rebuilt the Majordomo's wing and the coach houses in the Fontana style. Originally intended for the "Royal Princes", Queen Caroline Bonaparte, Caroline Murat was the first sovereign to live there and commission major transformations, including a small private theatre and a separate staircase. Later, with the return of the Bourbons, it was the apartment of Francis I (as Duke of Calabria and as king) and his family, from 1830 to 1837 it was occupied by his widow the queen mother Maria Isabella of Spain, and it was in her chambers that the devastating fire of February 1837 broke out. After the renovation by Gaetano Genovese (1837–1844), the east wing became the residential core of the palace, hosting Ferdinand II, Francis II during his short reign and the sovereigns of the House of Savoy during their visits to the city. Between 1922 and 1924 the wing underwent profound transformations, being emptied of furniture and decorative elements to make room for the National Library.


The Royal Apartments

From 1844 to 1922, the eastern wing was divided into several apartments. Its decoration was more contemporary, especially the painting collection, which tended towards small-format works commissioned by modern painters, compared to the old art gallery of the "Etiquette Apartment" (Royal Apartment). * The "Festive Apartment" was originally the "reception room of the Duke of Calabria", before being converted by Genovese between 1840 and 1842 into a succession of rooms with a particularly profuse and rich decoration with large mirrors, silk hangings and, above all, elaborate stuccos on the ceilings framing frescoes with mythological themes and Mannerist aesthetics. Caroline Murat's private theatre was transformed into a luxurious mirrored ballroom which is now the Reading Room of the National Library. * The "Apartment of the Dukes of Calabria" served as the private apartment of the heirs to the throne until 1859, and continued to be occupied by Francis II and Maria Sophie of Bavaria during their brief reign. From 1861 it was used by Vittorio Emanuele II on his visits to the city; Princes Umberto and Margherita lived there permanently from 1868 to 1870, then occasionally. It featured a sumptuous chapel with an iconostasis with saints painted on glass, and the walls were decorated with floral wallpapers ordered from Paris. Today it is the Rare Manuscripts section and the National Library Directorate. * The "Daily Apartment of Ferdinand II" located on the second floor, was later inhabited by Prince Victor Emmanuel III, Victor Emmanuel. The study of Ferdinand II (1854–1856), given its ceremonial importance, received the same decoration as some rooms of the "Etiquette Apartment": baroque stuccos and Neo-medievalism, neo-medievalizing and Romantic painting, romantic paintings linked to the historical past of Naples and the Norman, Angevin and Aragonese dynasties. In the private rooms, and especially in the king's luxurious bathhouse (1839–1841), a lighter and more precious type of Painting in ancient Rome, Neo-Pompeian painting predominated, linked to the revival of interest in the excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum in the 1830s and 1840s. Today it is the African Section of the National Library. * The "Private Apartment of Queen Maria Theresa of Austria (1816-1867), Maria Theresa" on the second floor was also notable for its Neo-Pompeian, Neo-Medieval and Orientalism, Orientalizing decorations; with "Chinese" and "Turkish" rooms and a small "Gothic" oratory. The paintings and decorative repertoires were the work of artists from the Academy of Fine Arts of Naples such as Camillo Guerra, Giuseppe Maldarelli and Filippo Marsigli.{{Harvsp, Porzio, 2014, p=57 * the "Palatine Library" and the "King's Physics Cabinet", which was an astronomical laboratory created by the will of Ferdinand II. In 1879 it was dismantled and the instruments sent to the
University of Naples The University of Naples Federico II (; , ) is a public university, public research university in Naples, Campania, Italy. Established in 1224 and named after its founder, Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II, it is the oldest public, s ...
.


The National Library

{{See also, National Library of NaplesThe National Library of Naples, dedicated to
Victor Emmanuel III Victor Emmanuel III (; 11 November 1869 – 28 December 1947) was King of Italy from 29 July 1900 until his abdication on 9 May 1946. A member of the House of Savoy, he also reigned as Emperor of Ethiopia from 1936 to 1941 and King of the Albani ...
, has been located since 1923 in the eastern wing of the Royal Palace. With over two million texts, it is the most important library in southern Italy. It contains maps, projects, drawings, manuscripts, letters and collections of literature, art and architecture, from the Farnese collection and other collections acquired over the years, as well as the Herculaneum Papyri, papyri from the Villa dei Papyri, villa of the same name found in the archaeological excavations of Herculaneum. Some of these texts bear the signature of prominent artists of the Italian scene such as Saint Thomas Aquinas, Torquato Tasso, Giacomo Leopardi, Salvator Rosa, Luigi Vanvitelli and Giambattista Vico.


The gardens

The so-called Romantic Garden of the Royal Palace is what remains of the ancient gardens of the viceregal palace. This strolling garden behind the east wing was created in 1842 by the German botanist Friedrich Dehnhardt taking advantage of the space created after the demolition of some buildings used as stables, located between the Royal Palace and the
Castel Nuovo Castel Nuovo (; ; 'New Castle'), often called Maschio Angioino (; ; ' Angevin Keep'), is a medieval castle located in front of Piazza Municipio and the city hall ( Palazzo San Giacomo) in central Naples, Campania, Italy. Its scenic location and ...
. The garden has flowerbeds designed with whimsical and sinuous shapes; among the plants it houses are some local species and others exotic, such as ''Ficus macrophylla'', ''Strelitzia nicolai'', ''Persea indica'', ''Pinus canariensis'', ''Magnolia grandiflora'', ''Jacaranda mimosifolia'' and ''Cycas revoluta''. The plants are marked with signs indicating their planting date.{{Harvsp, Porzio, 2014, p=51 The entire garden is surrounded by a fence with gilded spearheads. In 1924 Camillo Guerra made a new path and an exedra-shaped staircase near the garden gate to provide a separate entrance to the National Library. On either side of this gate are two bronze palafreneros, the work of Peter Jakob Clodt von Jürgensburg, copies of those made in Saint Petersburg, a gift from Tsar Nicholas I in memory of his stay in Naples in 1845, as recalled by a plaque.{{Harvsp, Porzio, 2014, pp=51–54 The stables serve as a buttress to the garden and are a room of about twelve hundred square metres characterised by their roof, which has eighteen vaults supported by a central row of square pillars. On one side there are limestone mangers, while the marks left by the horses are still visible on the pavement.{{Harvsp, Porzio, 2014, p=49 Below is a building built in the 1880s and used as a riding school. In this area there are also the ruins of the old riding school and the old stables, demolished by Genovese, and, on a slightly elevated area, what was once the tennis court of Umberto I of Savoy. In addition, the palace has the Hanging Garden facing the sea and which is accessed from the first floor of the Royal Apartment. The first evidence of this garden dates back to some engravings by Francesco Cassiano de Silva from the late 17th century, which show a small terrace attached to the Belvedere wing.{{Harvsp, Porzio, 2014, p=54 It was reorganized in 1745 by De Lellis and later by Bianchi, while it assumed its definitive appearance with the restoration of Genovese in the mid-19th century. The main plants are ''Bougainvillea'' and climbing vines; in the center, between the vestibule and the cast iron bridge, there is a fountain and a table with jets. The work is completed by neoclassical marble benches, cast iron pergolas and flowerbeds. During the 1994 restoration, between the entrance to Piazza del Plebiscito and that of Piazza Trieste e Trento, on what was the original entrance to the palace, a path was found, about one metre below ground level, that was part of the ancient gardens of the Viceregal Palace. This path was built with bricks laid Opus spicatum, herringbone, with blocks of volcanic stone on one edge and supported, on the other, against a retaining wall of the 16th century garden. Its lower part is made of blocks of tuff, and the upper part, with blocks of trachyte added later.{{Cite news , url=http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2000/03/29/scoperto-palazzo-reale-il-pozzo-della-storia.html , title=Scoperto a Palazzo Reale il pozzo della storia di Napoli la città in vetrina, date=29 March 2000, journal=La Repubblica, access-date=15 October 2018, language=it A little further on, a rectangular well was found, flanked by two circular tanks. Stratigraphic studies concluded that the well was lined with masonry for a depth of about thirteen metres, followed by another two and a half metres dug directly into the tuff, finally reaching a square chamber where the water from the aquifer was collected; the bottom was covered by a layer of silt about forty centimetres thick. After the start of the construction of the Royal Palace, the well was abandoned and used as a rubbish dump. At its bottom, for a height of about four metres, organic materials were found – thanks to the presence of water, which allowed its preservation – such as animal bones, remains of fish and molluscs, branches and fruit grains, and also construction materials such as majolica and worked wood, which have allowed the reconstruction of the lifestyle of this period. It was later filled with waste materials up to its brim.


The San Carlos Theatre

{{See also, Teatro di San Carlo The San Carlos Theatre also belongs to the Royal Palace complex. Built by Giovanni Antonio Medrano, it was inaugurated on 4 November 1737, on the occasion of the name day of the Charles III of Spain, king.{{Cite web, url=http://www.storienapoli.it/2015/07/20/la-storia-del-teatro-san-carlo-storie-di-napoli-a-scuola/, title=La storia del teatro San Carlo, publisher=Storie di Napoli, first1=Lidia, last1=Vitale, date=20 July 2015, access-date=15 October 2018, language=it, archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622034110/https://www.storienapoli.it/2015/07/20/la-storia-del-teatro-san-carlo-storie-di-napoli-a-scuola/, archivedate=22 June 2018 Over the years, the theatre has undergone numerous renovations, both to the façade and to the interior. The façade, which at first had simple architectural lines, was modified by Antonio Galli da Bibbiena in 1762, by Ferdinando Fuga in 1768 and by Domenico Chelli in 1791, until it assumed its definitive appearance in neoclassical style with a rustication (architecture), rusticated ground floor, a
Doric order The Doric order is one of the three orders of ancient Greek and later Roman architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian. The Doric is most easily recognized by the simple circular capitals at the top of t ...
gallery on the first floor and bas-reliefs after the works carried out by Antonio Niccolini (architect), Antonio Niccolini between 1810 and 1812.{{Harvsp, Porzio, 2014, p=61 Niccolini himself also restored the interior in 1841 and later in 1861, after a fire, with the help of his son Fausto Niccolini, Fausto and Francesco Maria Del Giudice. Expanded in the 1930s, the interior of the theatre, which can seat just over 1,300 spectators, is horseshoe-shaped and decorated with representations of ''
putti A putto (; plural putti ) is a figure in a work of art depicted as a chubby male child, usually naked and very often winged. Originally limited to profane passions in symbolism,Dempsey, Charles. ''Inventing the Renaissance Putto''. University ...
'', cornucopias and classical themes. The vault is decorated with the fresco ''Apollo presenting to Mercury the greatest Greek, Latin and Italian poets'', the work of Giuseppe Cammarano. The curtain dates from 1854, was made by Giuseppe Mancinelli and represents ''Muses and Homer among poets and musicians''. The theatre is directly connected to the royal palace by two vestibules, one on the ground floor, the other, private, on the ''piano nobile'', with neoclassical decoration, and through the garden.


Notes

{{reflist, group=note


References

{{reflist


Literature

*{{Cite book, first1=Alessandra, last1=Anselmi, title=La Calabria del viceregno spagnolo: storia, arte, architettura e urbanistica, location=Roma, publisher=Gangemi Editore, year=2009, isbn=978-88-492-9121-6, language=it *{{Cite book, first1=Gina Carla, last1=Ascioni, title=La stanza dove Sua Maestà dorme, chiamata del Belvedere, location=Napoli, publisher=OADI – Rivista dell'Osservatorio per le Arti Decorative in Italia, year=2010, isbn=, language=it, url=http://www1.unipa.it/oadi/oadiriv/?page_id=66, chapter=, access-date=4 August 2024, archive-date=26 September 2021, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926124349/http://www1.unipa.it/oadi/oadiriv/?page_id=66, url-status=dead *{{Cite book, first1=Gina Carla, last1=Ascioni, title=Vita di corte al tempo di Carlo di Borbone, location=Napoli, publisher=Arte'm, year=2014, isbn=9788856904086, language=it *{{Cite book, title=Palazzi di Napoli, first1=Ugo, last1=Carughi, publisher=Arsenale, year=1999, isbn=8877432195, language=it *{{Cite book, first1=Carlo, last1=Casalegno, title=La regina Margherita, publisher=Einaudi, location=Turín, year=1956, isbn=8815083553, language=it *{{Cite book, first1=Ornella, last1=Cirillo, title=Carlo Vanvitelli: architettura e città nella seconda metà del Settecento, location=Florencia, publisher=Alinea Editrice, year=2008, isbn=978-88-605-5309-6, language=it *{{Cite book, last1=D'Arbitrio, first1=Nicoletta, title=Carolina Murat, la Regina francese del Regno delle Due Sicilie , url= , year=2003, publisher=EDISA, isbn=, language=it, chapter=, last2=Ziviello, first2=Luigi *{{ Cite book , first1=Raffaele , url=https://archive.org/details/lafinediunregnon01deceiala , title=La fine di un regno , location=Castello, publisher=S. Lapi Tipografo-Editore, language=it, last1=De Cesare, year=1900 *{{ Cite book , first1=Antonella, last1=Delli Paoli, first2=Stefano, last2=Gei , url=http://palazzorealenapoli.it/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Itinerario_Vicereale.pdf , title=Il palazzo reale di Napoli nel periodo del viceregno spagnolo , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315233039/http://palazzorealenapoli.it/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Itinerario_Vicereale.pdf , archive-date=15 March 2016 , location=Naples , publisher=Servizio Educativo del Palazzo Reale di Napoli , language=it, ref={{sfnref, Viceregno, 2015 * {{ Cite book , first1=Antonella, last1=Delli Paoli, first2=Stefano, last2=Gei, url=http://palazzorealenapoli.it/cms/wp-content/uploads/itinerario_borbonico.pdf, title=Il palazzo reale di Napoli nel periodo borbonico, location=Nápoles, publisher=Servizio Educativo del Palazzo Reale di Napoli, language=it, ref=Borbonico * {{ Cite book , first1=Antonella, last1=Delli Paoli, first2=Stefano, last2=Gei , url=http://palazzorealenapoli.it/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/guida_museo.pdf, title=Guida alle sale dell'appartamento storico, location=Nápoles, publisher=Servizio Educativo del Palazzo Reale di Napoli, language=it, ref=Sale *{{Cite book, last1=Fiadino, title=Napoli-Spagna. Architettura e città nel XVIII secolo, location=, publisher=Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, year=2003, isbn=884950652X, language=it, chapter=La residenza di Carlo di Borbone a Napoli, first1=Adele * {{cite book , last1=Ghisotti , first1=Silvia , last2=Merlotti , first2=Andrea , date=2017 , title=Dalle regge d'Italia. Tesori e simboli della regalità sabauda, catalogo della mostra (Reggia di Venaria, 2017) , type=Exhibition catalogue , location=Genoa , publisher=Sagep *{{Cite book, first1=Paolo, last1=Mascilli Migliorini, title=Civiltà dell' Ottocento. Le arti a Napoli dai Borbone ai Savoia. Architettura e urbanistica., location=Nápoles, publisher=Mondadori Electa, year=1997, isbn=978-8843556656, language=it, chapter=Le trasformazioni ottocentesche del Palazzo Reale, volume=2 *{{Cite book, last1=Mascilli Migliorini, title=Dalle regge d'Italia. Tesori e simboli della regalità sabauda, location=, publisher=SAGEP, year=2017, isbn=978-8863734812, language=it, chapter=Il Palazzo Reale di Napoli e i Savoia, first1=Paolo *{{Cite book, last1=Papagna, title=All'ombra di Murat - Studi e ricerche sul Decennio francese, location=Bari, publisher=EdiPuglia, year=2007, isbn=, language=it, chapter=La corte murattiana, first1=Elena *{{Cite book, first1=Annalisa, last1=Porzio, title=Civiltà dell' Ottocento. Le arti a Napoli dai Borbone ai Savoia. Le Arti Figurative., location=Nápoles, publisher=Mondadori Electa, year=1997, isbn=978-8843587070, language=it, chapter=La Reggia di Napoli nell'Ottocento, volume=1 *{{Cite book, first1=Annalisa, last1=Porzio, title=La quadreria di Palazzo reale nell'Ottocento: inventari e museografia, location=Nápoles, publisher=Arte tipografica, year=1999, isbn=, language=it *{{Cite book, first1=Annalisa, last1=Porzio, title=Il Palazzo Reale di Napoli, location=Nápoles, publisher=Arte'm, year=2014, language=it *{{Cite book, first1=Camillo Napoleone, last1=Sasso, title=Storia de' monumenti di Napoli e degli architetti che gli edificavano, url=https://archive.org/details/storiademonument01sass, location=Nápoles, publisher=Tipografia Federico Vitale, year=1856, language=it *{{Cite book, last1=Sgarbozza, title=Mecenatismo pontificio e borbonico alla vigilia dell'Unità, location=Roma, publisher=Viviani Editore, year=2011, isbn=978-88-79931-48-9, language=it, chapter=Ferdinando II e la promozione delle arti a Napoli, first1=Ilaria *{{Cite book, author=Touring Club Italiano, title=Guida d'Italia - Napoli e dintorni, location=Milán, publisher=Touring Club Editore, year=2008, isbn=978-88-365-3893-5, language=it *{{Cite book, last1=Verde, title=Dimore signorili a Napoli, location=Nápoles, publisher=Intensa San Paolo, year=2011, language=it, first1=Paola Carla , chapter=Mutamenti del cerimoniale: il nuovo scalone e la sala Guevara del Palazzo Reale. *{{Cite book, editor-last1=Epifani , editor-first1=Mario , title=Quattro secoli di storia. Il Museo della Fabbrica di Palazzo Reale, location=Naples , publisher=Editori Paparo , year=2024, language=it, isbn=979-1281389137


External links

{{Commons category, Royal Palace (Naples)
Royal Palace of Naples - Official website


{{Royal palaces in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies {{Museums of Naples {{Authority control Royal Palace of Naples, Houses completed in 1616 Royal residences in the Kingdom of Naples Palaces in Naples Baroque palaces in Naples Tourist attractions in Naples Museums in Naples 1616 establishments in the Kingdom of Sicily 1616 establishments in Italy Joachim Murat Philip III of Spain Charles III of Spain Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies