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The Palace of Caserta
Its foundation stone was laid on
20 January 1752 in an official ceremony celebrating
the 36th birthday of King Charles. Vanvitelli had
presented his project the previous year, on 2 May
1751. Charles and Maria Amalia were so enthusiast
that the architect wrote his brother that reality
had overcome his best expectations.
However, the fastness imposed by the King was
a clear sign of the importance and appreciation
he gave to that work.
The Palace had been designed as a huge building
with twin facades, one looking on to the parade
ground, the other to the gardens. The central
dome and the statue of Charles on the gable
in the middle of the facade were present in
the original design but were never realised.
For the first time, the central stairway leading
to the royal apartments (at whose entrance we
now find the Public Administration High School),
was put at the centre of a building.
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Fountain of Diana and Actaeon |
In total, the Palace has 1200 rooms!
The gardens were completed after the King left the
kingdom, and in 1762 the water from Maddaloni reached
the Palace through the Caroline aqueduct.
Washbasin standing on eagle’s claws |
A description of the Palace and its gardens
is impossible here. It is one of the most famous
and loved architectural masterpieces in the
world. We will limit ourselves to show some
pictures and spend a few words on the most important
and beautiful rooms.
Entrance to the Palatine Chapel (similar to
the one in Versailles) is from the upper hall.
The Chapel is an unadorned and vaulted room
with columns and a high stylobate. It was inaugurated
by the Mass of Christmases Eve in 1784, at the
presence of the King and all the Court.
The chapel is dedicated to Mary Immaculate,
whose image is painted on the apse.
A mention must be made to the Rooms of the Seasons,
small and highly decorated rooms: in the room
of “spring”, the King and Queen
welcomed their most intimate guests and Hackert
embellished it with some splendid views of harbours.
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Whereas the King’s apartment
is furnished in a rigorous way and contains German
pieces of furniture, the apartment of Queen Maria
Carolina is somehow frivolous and elegant.
Once crossed the three neoclassical rooms of
the Palatine Library, we reach the Elliptic
Room, all white washed, without decorations,
destined to the Court recreation; it presently
houses the enchanting Bourbon Crib.
The Bourbons always encouraged the ancient Neapolitan
tradition of the Crib and every Christmas a
huge crib was prepared in the Palace by expert
artisans but also by the Princesses, who tailored
the dresses of the shepherds. The hands, heads
and feet of the statuettes were made of clay,
whereas the body was made of stow and wire.
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Nativity |
Real designs were realised for the
crib: the last one was made in 1844, and the present
crib in the Palace is inspired by that last project.
Leaving the Elliptical Room, we entry the splendid
Art Gallery, recently furnished with the portraits
of the Sovereigns.
But even more important is the area dedicated to the
splendid landscapes that Ferdinand IV ordered to J.P.
Hackert, the other famous artist who worked in the
Palace of Caserta.
Born in Prenzlau in 1737, Hackert came to Italy in
1768 and here remained for the rest of his life. In
1782 he met King Ferdinand. The painter related how
amazed he was to find that the King was so competent
in painting and discussed it with cleverness and awareness.
Fountain of Venus and Adonis
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The two men immediately got along with each
other (as the other King and artist had done
thirty years before) and their agreement produced
the splendid canvas now so admired in Caserta.
Mention must be also made to the small and precious
theatre, located in the western wing. The theatre
was not foreseen in the first design, and Vanvitelli
made it upon a precise will of King Charles
in 1756, when the work had already begun.
To conclude, no description can convey the beauty
of the wonderful gardens and their enchanting
sculptures, that can only be appreciated while
personally seen.
Only a visit to the place can give merit to
the splendour of the Palace and the munificence
of the Bourbons, makers of the most beautiful
and largest Palaces in the world.
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