As everybody knows, the Royal Palace of Naples was not built by the Bourbons. Its construction was ordered and begun in 1600 by the Spanish Viceroy Fernando Ruiz de Castro for a visit (never made) of the new King of Spain, Philip III Hapsburg (son of Philip II) to the Viceroyalty.
If we pay attention to this palace, this is due to the fact that the Bourbon greatly restored and embellished both the palace and its surrounding area, which under Ferdinand II took the enchanting aspect it still has today.

The Palace was built in the vast area between Santa Lucia and Castelnuovo; the general project was given to one of the most famous architects of that time, Domenico Fontana, who had already built the majestic works commissioned by Pope Sistus V in Rome; but the work continued for decades and in many cases the original design made by Fontana was modified. However, for the whole sixteenth century, the palace and its vast "Palace Square" were the beating heart of social and political life in Naples.

Royal Palace of Salerno, watercolour, Giacinto Gigante, 1854

The interventions of Charles and Ferdinand IV (I)

When King Charles came to Naples in 1734, the palace was abandoned and completely lacking all necessary furniture to house the King and his Court. The situation was so serious that the Court had to buy furniture, curtains and furnishings at the pawnshop and from private citizens .

Façade overlooking Piazza del Plebiscito

Architect Ferdinando Sanfelice was tasked with the construction of an apartment for the First Butler in the eastern wing facing Castelnuovo; in 1742, then, he and engineer Casimiro Vetromile made other restorations. In 1736 the Farnese collections were transported to the palace, and then partly transferred to Capodimonte. On the occasion of the marriage of the King to Maria Amalia of Saxony, in 1737, the best artists present in Naples were called to the palace to decorate some of its rooms (in particular, the Diplomatic Hall, also called First Antechamber of his Majesty); among them, we mention: Francesco Solimena, Francesco De Mura, Nicola Maria Rossi, Domenico Antonio Vaccaro. That same year, a porcelain manufacture was inaugurated, the first “specimen” of what had to became later on the glorious Capodimonte manufacture.

Southern façade

In 1751 the Royal Palatine Printing Works became operative and received machineries from the famous typography of Raimond di Sangro, Prince of Sansevero, whereas in 1753 Vanvitelli was tasked with the restoration of the facade built by Fontana.
To be honest, however, we must say that King Charles never became fond of this Royal Palace, although he lived there, perhaps because he was too vexed by the chaotic life of the capital or because that construction was “not his” work. In his mind and heart, he already had other two royal palaces, Caserta and Capodimonte: and therefore the work was resumed only under the rule of Ferdinand IV.
A long building, the Braccio Nuovo (New Wing) was constructed facing eastward and occupied part of the gardens, where the National Library is presently located; then the part facing the sea was begun, but remained unfinished and just the first six spans with balconies were built.

In 1769 Ferdinando Fuga definitively transformed the Great Hall of the Spanish Palace used by the viceroys to host shows, into a small Court theatre, inaugurated by a Serenade or music theatre feast by G.B. Sassi and music by Giovanni Paisiello. This theatre mainly hosted special shows for the King made by Nicola Piccinni, Domenico Cimarosa and Paisiello. Always under the supervision of Fuga, in 1770s the halls were decorated; the painted doors and the tapestries of the Royal Manufacture still held in the palace date back to this period.

View of the Palace from the “Bronze Horses”

In 1773 the King transformed the area in front of the palace into an area for military parades and destined the Piazza Castello to the traditional popular festivals previously organised in front of the palace.
In 1767 the Military College was established, in 1778 the Academy of Arts and Sciences and in 1785 the Great Archive began to be ordered. A Porcelain Laboratory was brought back in the yard of the riding track, after Charles moved the manufacture to Capodimonte. The direction of work was given to Domenico Venuti in 1781. In 1782, Ferdinand inaugurated a Steel Factory with the help of Viennese masters, and this factory too was put under the supervision of Venuti.
After 1815, Ferdinand I called Canova to his Court, and ordered him a statue of Charles; in 1819 Canova was also tasked with a statue depicting the King himself; but Canova was then very old and sick, and could only shape the horse; the statue was completed by Antonio Calì and the two monuments were put in the square in 1829.