Royal Palace of Caserta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Royal Palace of Caserta |
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Reggia di Caserta
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View of the northern façade from the fountain of Venus and Adonis
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| Alternative names | Palazzo Reale di Caserta |
| General information | |
| Type | Palace |
| Architectural style | Late Baroque and early Neoclassical |
| Location | Caserta, Italy |
| Address | Viale Douhet, 81100 Caserta CE, Italy |
| Construction started | 1752 |
| Technical details | |
| Size | 247 × 184 × 36 meters (42 meters including the roof) |
| Floor area | c. 138,000 square metres (1,490,000 sq ft) |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 1,200 |
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Part of | 18th-Century Royal Palace at Caserta with the Park, the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, and the San Leucio Complex |
| Criteria | Cultural: (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) |
| Inscription | 1997 (21st Session) |
| Area | 87.37 ha (0.3373 sq mi) |
| Buffer zone | 110.76 ha (0.4276 sq mi) |
The Royal Palace of Caserta (Italian: Reggia di Caserta) is a huge former royal home in Caserta, Campania, southern Italy. It is about 35 kilometers north of Naples. The House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies built it to be their main home as kings of Naples.
This palace is the largest one built in Europe during the 1700s. In 1997, UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site. They said it was a "swan song" (a final, beautiful example) of the amazing Baroque art style. The palace is one of the biggest former royal homes in the world. It has a volume of over 2 million cubic meters and covers an area of 47,000 square meters. The building has five floors with 138,000 square meters of space.
Contents
History of the Royal Palace
Building the palace started in 1752 for Charles VII of Naples. He later became Charles III of Spain. Charles worked closely with his architect, Luigi Vanvitelli. When Charles saw Vanvitelli's huge model for Caserta, he was very excited.
However, Charles never actually slept in the palace. He gave up his throne in 1759 to become King of Spain. The project was only partly finished for Charles' third son and the next king, Ferdinand IV of Naples.
Why the Palace Was Built
The idea for Vanvitelli's palace came from Versailles in France. Versailles was a huge building that housed the king, his court, and the government. Caserta was meant to do the same thing. It was designed to be like a small city.
The plan was to create a palace that could hold not just the king and his court. It would also house important groups like the university, museum, library, and military leaders. This made it a central place for the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily.
A British art historian named Anthony Blunt said the palace showed the power of the new monarchy. He noted that Vanvitelli's design was very bold. The palace's huge size, the views through its open halls, and the grand staircase all showed that Charles wanted to be as grand as King Louis XIV of France.
But Caserta did not copy Versailles directly. It was planned all at once by one architect, which made it more balanced.
Moving a Town and Protecting the King
The people of Casertavecchia were moved about 10 kilometers closer to the palace. This was so they could work on its construction. A silk factory at San Leucio was cleverly hidden as a building in the huge park.
Another main goal for the king was to have a new royal court and government center. He wanted it in a place safe from attacks by sea. He also wanted it far from the busy city of Naples. Soldiers lived inside the palace to protect the king.
Architectural Inspirations
The Royal Palace of Madrid, where Charles grew up, was designed by Filippo Juvarra. It was a model for Caserta. Charlottenburg Palace also provided ideas. A large, eight-sided entrance hall seems to have been inspired by a church in Venice. The palace's chapel is often compared to the Royal Chapel at Versailles.
Vanvitelli died in 1773. His son Carlo and other architects continued the building. But Vanvitelli's first plan, which included two large wings like those at St. Peter's Square, was never finished.
Later Years and World War II
From 1923 to 1943, the palace was home to the Accademia Aeronautica. This was the Italian Air Force Academy. In 1943, during World War II, the palace became the headquarters for the Allied Force Headquarters. This was where the main Allied commanders in the Mediterranean area worked.
In April 1945, an important event happened here. German and Italian forces in Italy signed their unconditional surrender at the palace. This agreement covered hundreds of thousands of soldiers. The first Allied legal proceedings for war crimes also took place here in 1945.
During World War II, the palace was damaged by U.S. bombers in 1943. Many of its furnishings were taken during the war. The Italian government worked hard to restore the building. They returned or replaced decorations to match the original ones.
The Palace in Movies
In 1998, the palace was used for filming Star Wars: Episode One - The Phantom Menace. It was the inside of the Theed City Naboo Palace. They filmed there for four days. Scenes with explosions were filmed on fake sets to protect the real palace. Parts of Attack of The Clones were also filmed here.
The Royal Palace of Caserta has been in other famous movies too. These include Mission: Impossible III and Angels & Demons.
Inside the Royal Palace
The palace has five floors. It has 1,200 rooms, including 24 fancy state apartments. There are 1,742 windows, 34 staircases, and 1,026 fireplaces. It also has a large library and a theater. The theater was built like the Teatro San Carlo in Naples.
The palace has a rectangular shape. It measures 247 meters by 184 meters. Two arms connect the four sides, creating four inner courtyards.
Even without counting the courtyards, Caserta is the largest royal palace in the world. It was built from a single original plan. It has more than 2 million cubic meters of space. The total floor space is 138,000 square meters. The palace has a grand and serious feel that was special for its time.
Caserta looks a lot like the Palace of Versailles. It has a similar roofline and small breaks in its long front. Like Versailles, it needed a huge aqueduct to bring water for its amazing fountains. The palace was meant to show the power of the Bourbon kings.
Caserta has more than 40 grand rooms decorated with paintings. Versailles, in comparison, has only 22. The palace offered a royal escape from the busy capital city, just as Versailles did for Louis XIV.
The Palace Park and Gardens
The garden is a great example of a Baroque style garden. It covers 120 hectares, which is like 300 acres. Part of it is on hilly land. Its construction began in 1753. This park was also inspired by the park at Versailles.
The park starts behind the palace. It has a long path with artificial fountains and waterfalls. There is also a botanical garden called "The English Garden." It was designed in the 1780s by Carlo Vanvitelli and a German botanist named John Graefer. This garden is an early example of an English landscape garden in Europe. These gardens look more natural.
Amazing Fountains
The fountains and waterfalls are truly impressive. They each fill a large basin. They were designed by Luigi Vanvitelli. These fountains are along a wide, straight canal that stretches far into the distance. They were so grand that they rivaled the fountains at Peterhoff Palace in Russia.
Some of the famous fountains include:
- The Fountain of Diana and Actaeon
- The Fountain of Venus and Adonis (built between 1770 and 1780)
- The Fountain of the Dolphins (built between 1773 and 1780)
- The Fountain of Aeolus
- The Fountain of Ceres
Many statues of figures from ancient Greek and Roman stories were made for the gardens.
People at the time said that Caserta was better than other European royal palaces. This was because it felt so complete and grand. This is partly thanks to the large oval plaza in front of the palace.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Royal Palace of Caserta became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. UNESCO said that the palace is special because of its huge design. It includes not just the palace and park, but also the natural landscape around it. It also includes a new town planned using the best city planning ideas of its time.
Images for kids
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The Grand Staircase of Honour
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The Throne Room
See also
In Spanish: Palacio Real de Caserta para niños
- Asteroid 274246 Reggiacaserta
- List of Baroque residences
