A royal City
It will have happened to everyone, at least once in their lives, to hear about Caserta and its Bourbon Royal Palace, also known as the Versailles of Italy, which is the largest royal residence in the world and one of the most magnificent monumental complexes still existing.
In 1997 it was rightly included among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, together with the Royal Belvedere of San Leucio and the Carolino Aqueduct.
The Royal Palace of Caserta is the last great legacy of Italian Baroque.
How can one not be attracted to these places full of magnificence and history?
Strolling through the interior rooms or in the royal gardens, you will take a plunge into a glorious and still present past. You will feel a little bit closer to the nobles of the time and you will fully grasp the prestige and immortality that they gave to this wonderful land, kissed by the sun, culture and art that pervades all.
The structure, which has 1200 rooms, all richly furnished and with ceilings full of wonderful frescoes, was built by Luigi and Carlo Vanvitelli at the behest of Charles of Bourbon, a sovereign who promoted art and culture from every point of view.
The Royal Palace dominates the city of Caserta, which was built right around the king’s residence. It is one of the most famous monuments in Italy and also houses the Scuola Allievi Sottufficiali dell’Aeronautica Militare.
One of the perhaps lesser known curiosities about the Reggia is that the first Italian lift was built inside it, installed in 1844 and designed by architect Gaetano Genovese. It was a wooden chair able to go up and down thanks to a particular and ingenious mechanism; there were also hands that, using the same operation as clock gears, indicated the floor you wanted to reach.
Another nice anecdote is the one concerning the cataloguing of objects by Piedmontese officials, after annexation with the unification of Italy. One of the officials found the first Italian bidet and, not knowing what it was, called it “a strange object in the shape of a guitar”.
The interiors of the majestic palace are, therefore, a hymn to luxury, magnificence and elegance. The exterior, however, also deserves special attention.
The large park is divided into two large blocks: the Italian garden and the English garden; both were embellished with thousands of plants from all over the world. An area that can be defined really heavenly, in a secluded and enchanted place, is the Bath of Venus, with a statue of the goddess of beauty, half-hidden among the plants, commissioned by Queen Maria Carolina.
Those who visit the Royal Palace of Caserta and, in particular, its magnificent and immense park, full of amazing fountains, will certainly be fascinated by the water installations and the abundance that is found there. During the planning phase, in fact, the problem of the availability of those enormous quantities of water arose. Luigi Vanvitelli succeeded in creating an ingenious system, mostly underground, that allowed for the conveyance of the waters of Mount Taburno for 38 km, to feed both the Royal Palace of Caserta and the silk factories of San Leucio. Even the great Goethe was amazed by the Carolino Aqueduct, so much so that he defined it as “a bridge capable of carrying an entire river”.
Another curiosity is that in the Royal Palace of Caserta some scenes from two films of the Star Wars saga were shot.
The vast park of the Reggia starts from the building and stretches towards the hills of Caserta vecchia, which is the original nucleus of the city and built on the hill. It is definitely worth a visit, both for the beautiful panoramic view and for the characteristic narrow streets. The medieval village, which has been an Italian National Monument since 1960, is worth a walk through, to enjoy a timeless experience.
Moreover, in Caserta it is also possible to live nature experiences. In fact, the forest of San Silvestro is an oasis of the WWF and hosts inside structures suitable also for a short stay.
Those who visit Caserta should not miss a stop at the Capuano Amphitheatre, built by Augustus and renovated by Hadrian in 119, which also included a building used as a school for gladiators, where, in 73 B.C., the famous revolt led by Spartacus broke out. It is the largest Roman amphitheatre in the world, after the Colosseum. Finally, worthy of note is also the Planetarium of Caserta, active since 2008, which organizes guided tours and really suggestive shows and also houses a small museum with five rooms.