Caserta is an Italian city that has gained popularity among tourists thanks to the legendary Royal Palace (Reggia di Caserta), which is also called the "Versailles of Italy". The architectural ensemble is the largest building built in Europe (Europe) in the 18th century.
The origin of Caserta remains a mystery to historians. The settlement existed here even before the arrival of the Romans. The Lombards, who conquered Caserta in the 18th century, laid the foundation for the future city. The tower in the center served as an observation point. Today the historic building is the prefecture's palace.
In the XI century, the city was already under Norman rule. By 1268, the era of the Anjou dynasty began, and in 1734, as a result of the War of the Polish Succession (1733-1735), Caserta fell under the rule of the younger branch of the Bourbon dynasty - the Neapolitan Bourbons (Borbone di Napoli). This time is considered the peak of the development of Caserta. In 1750 Charles VII of Naples decided to build a new residence. She was supposed to be located near (Naples), but away from the sea - so that the royals would not be disturbed by the French ships.
Charles VII wished the new palace to be more grandiose than any European palace. He especially wanted to surpass the French Versailles. The architect was hiccuped for a long time, but the final choice fell on Luigi Vanvitelli.
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The master came to Caserta only in 1751. He worked on the drawings of the palace for over half a year. The project was ready by November. The first stone was laid in January 1752, on the birthday of Charles VII. The park began to be broken up a year later. Realizing the grandeur of the project, Vanvitelli enlists promising Roman architects to help.
Judging by the surviving documents, the following were working on the construction:
- 458 security guards;
- Lots of local people;
- Convicts (165 people);
- 245 Turks.
In fact, the term "Turks" was used to denote the religious affiliation of the slaves, most of whom were brought from North Africa. The construction was planned to be completed 10 years later, but in 1759 Charles VII left Italy, and all the work on the construction of the palace fell on his successors. Vanvitelli died in 1779, after which the son of the architect Carlo (Carlo Vanvitelli) took over the construction.
The palace was inhabited by 1780, but construction work continued until 1845.
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Structure and appearance
The palace in Caserta is represented by a rectangle, inside of which there are four spacious courtyards. The division into sectors was solved by cross passages. The passages from one courtyard to another are the middle arches in the cross walls. The length of the facade is 247 meters, the adjacent walls are 185 meters.
The Palace of Caserta has 5 floors, the height of the building is 36 meters. The whole complex has about 1200 rooms, of which only half are available for visiting.
The main attractions of the complex are:
- Territorial Museum;
- Opera Museum;
- Picture gallery.
On the right in the central hall, visitors are greeted by a symmetrical marble staircase. The right side leads to the Palatine Chapel (Cappella Palatina), the left - to a series of vast halls. This part of the palace is harmoniously designed in style and classicism. From the top of the stairs, there is a view of the opposite wall, decorated with three niches.
By the end of the construction of the palace in Caserta, the fashion for baroque splendor faded away, and the imitation of the style of Versailles ended. Therefore, the new halls were made in the Empire style.
Park and botanical garden
As in France (Versailles), the palace has a large park. There is a cascade of fountains, shady alleys, green gardens, terraces. It stretches 3 km to the north. The park area stretches like a cascade of fountains and alleys down the slope. A botanical (English) garden has also been created here. It was developed by Carlo Vanvitelli and John Graefer.
The fountain of Diana and Aktion, dolphins, Venus and Adonis stands out especially. Decorating the park with various sculptures gives it a special flavor.
The park is divided into 2 large areas:
- There is a small auditorium in front of the palace;
- Further north, in the time of the Neapolitan Bourbons, an English-style landscape park was laid out.
After the death of Luigi Vanvitelli, his son Carlo wanted to keep his father's idea when creating the park. Its territory expanded extensively to the northwest, which significantly increased construction costs. That is why there are 6 fountains instead of 19.
A network of paths leads the visitor to a hexagonal tower. This is a small castle (Castelluccia), in which the king rested after the end of the hunt. To the west of the parterre is the Old Forest (Bosco Vecchio). He was here before the castle was built. To the north of the old forest, a pool was set up in which fish were raised.
The parterre is followed by a cascade of fountains - Margarita - made quite simply. 4 swimming pools were sequentially placed in it. The perspective ends with the Grand Cascade. The water coming from the aqueduct pours from a height of 82 meters. Below is a vast pool, around which a mythological scene unfolds: Diana, who is going to swim in the company of Actaeon and the nymphs.
If you head east, park paths lead to the English Garden (Giardino Inglese). Plants for the garden were collected from different parts of the kingdom. At the northernmost point of the park, an Apiary (Aperia) is built. Under the French, bees were raised here, which explains the name of the attraction.
How to get there
From Naples
Independently, it is more comfortable and safer to go to Caserta by a special bus from Naples, the cost of a round-trip ticket is only 15 euros, for children under 18 years old - 8 euros. Since the number of places is limited, you need to make a reservation on the site at least a couple of days in advance.
Buses leave from Naples daily from the stations:
- Piazza Municipio - Largo Castello: 09:30 am
- Piazza Garibaldi - Hotel Terminus: 09:45 AM
Travel time was 45 minutes, free time in Caserta - about 4 hours. You will return to Naples at approximately 15:30. You do not need to print a bus ticket, it is enough to show the reservation code on the phone to the driver, it is very convenient.
If you want to save a little bit, then you can get to Caserta by train from Naples from Napoli Centrale train station. He walks every half hour. The journey takes 46 minutes. The ticket costs 3.1 euros.
The station is located 500 meters from the palace.
From rome
Trains from Rome to Caserta leave from. The duration of the trip is 1 hour 8 minutes, and the cost of tickets is from 34 to 47.1 euros. If you buy tickets in advance, the price is much lower. We recommend buying any train ticket in Italy and checking the current timetable only on.
Hotels
When visiting the Royal Palace in Caserta, you can stay in one of the hotels. The price for renting a room depends on the location and the type of hostel (3, 4 stars, bed and breakfast).
3 stars
Hotel Amadeus
The Centro Commerciale Campania shopping center opposite the outlet looks so luxurious that it is ready to compete with the Royal Palace.
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Caserta is a small town just north of Naples, 30 km from it. A significant part of tourists arriving in Campania, in the compulsory program include a visit to Caserta as one of the main and.
For Naples, Caserta is like Versailles for Paris, Peterhof for St. Petersburg, Schönbrunn for Vienna. This is a luxurious country royal residence with a panoramic park, cascades, waterfalls, grottoes, built in the second half of the 18th century.
The decision to move the royal residence from the center of Naples, farther from the sea, to a more protected and deserted place, was made by King Charles VII of Bourbon. In the area of Caserta, the king loved to hunt, he liked this hilly, wooded area, and he bought them from the local feudal lords of Aquaviva to build a palace and lay out a huge park.
An architect was recruited from Rome to embody the ambitious plan Luigi Vanvitelli... In 1751, Vanvitelli arrived in Naples and began to design and build a suburban royal residence - Reggia di Caserta.
Local residents were resettled, a grandiose aqueduct was built to supply water to the fountains, and the construction began to boil.
The first tenants moved into the palace in 1780, and by this time both the customer and the contractor had changed. The customer Charles VII in 1759 changed the Neapolitan crown to the Spanish one, became Charles III and departed for Madrid, and the performer Luigi Vanvitelli died in 1773. So the construction of the residence was completed by Carlo Vanvitelli, the son of Luigi, and King Ferdinand, the son of Charles of Bourbon, with his wife Maria Carolina and a large retinue lived in it.
For 7 years he reigned in Caserta Joachim Murat, Napoleon's son-in-law, appointed by Napoleon as king of Naples. After the liberation of Campania from the French and the execution of Murat in 1815, Ferdinand returned to the throne and to his beloved Caserta. He was succeeded by his son, also Ferdinand. And all this time, something was being completed in Caserta, changing according to the fashion and tastes of the owners, so that as a result, Reggia di Caserta was built over almost a century: from 1752 to 1845. And, I must say, the result is impressive.
How to get to Caserta
It is convenient to get to Caserta by train. From Naples Central Station to Caserta, the train takes 40 minutes, the ticket costs 3.40 euros. There are also buses from Central Station to Caserta.
From Rome to Caserta, a direct train takes 1 hour and 15 minutes. The ticket price is 35 euros.
As a rule, people come here for half a day or a day.
We decided to book a hotel in Caserta for 2 nights, so that we could spend a full day in the city: in the morning, approach the opening of the museum and calmly, without haste, see the palace, the park and, possibly, some other attractions in the vicinity. In addition, 5 nights were already booked in our place, I wanted to take a little break from Naples and spend a couple of nights in another place. Still, the crowds, dirt and crazy traffic in Naples tires you, you want peace and cleanliness.
City of Caserta - first impressions
We arrived in Caserta on Sunday evening.
The Royal Palace of Reggia di Caserta was already visible from the station. We deviated to the right and went through the city center.
At first glance, Caserta made a pleasant impression. A decent town, low-rise buildings of 3-4 floors, there is no dirt or slime on the streets. Modern Caserta is a relatively young city; it formed around a palace.
Piazza Dante
The first square on our way - piazza dante- spacious and representative, oval, surrounded by houses with rounded facades and high galleries along the ground floors. Two wide streets run through the square: Trieste and Mazzini. The first leads to the royal palace. The second cuts right through the city, so that in the alignment of the street, in the distance, you can see the mountains.
On Sunday evening, the city was seething. Starting from Piazza Dante, the whole center of Caserta was filled with people walking idly. There was a festive atmosphere in the air. Everything was very calm and peaceful.
A little later, we asked the owner of our apartment what kind of holiday had happened in their city. “Just Sunday,” he replied.
B&B Ma Maison Hotel
B&B hotels, that is, "bed and breakfast", are often an apartment in a residential building with several rooms and a shared kitchen and living room. The Ma Maison, our hotel in Caserta, was no exception. The owners seem to have owned two or three neighboring apartments in the stairwell. The apartment where we were accommodated had two rooms, but luckily the second room was empty, so the whole apartment was at our complete disposal. It was a well-renovated room with high ceilings (however, high ceilings were in all hotels in Campania where we stayed, and in Naples this space was even divided into two levels).
Our room cost 64 euros per day (February, low season), and the house itself was located literally two minutes' walk from the palace. In fact, it was quite possible to take something more economical and further away. Caserta is a small city, and it will not be difficult to reach the palace from any point of it.
Living room
For me, when choosing a hotel in favor of Ma Mason, the mention that bicycles are provided free of charge to guests. But I booked about four months before the trip, and when we finally got to Caserta, I happily forgot about this bonus, and the owner did not remind me. True, there were old bikes at the entrance, but, on the other hand, you rode your bike through the whole park, so then you have to go to the palace. Where should I leave my bike?
Breakfast was meager, coffee, croissants, oranges, so we bought cheese and ham for the next breakfast.
The owner, Giuseppe, came in the morning, shook hands, poured us coffee, answered questions, sat at the computer in the hallway for a while, and then left.
In general, the impression of the apartment was good.
What to see in Caserta
Reggia di Caserta
Of course, the main attraction of Caserta is the suburban royal residence of the Bourbons.
Palace in the evening
A ticket to the palace and park costs 12 euros, only to the palace - 9 euros. It makes sense to use a discount card.
Day off - Tuesday.
The palace is open from 8:30 to 19:30.
The park also starts receiving visitors at 8:30, and closes depending on the season:
January, February, November, December - at 14:30,
March - at 16:00,
April - at 17:00,
summer - at 18:00,
October - at 16:30.
English garden closes an hour earlier than the park. Therefore, first they usually look at the park and the English Garden, and then they go to the palace. Without the English Garden, the impression of Reggia di Caserta will be incomplete.
Only one park, without a palace, you can visit for 8 euros. In this case, the entrance is through the ticket office at Corso Giannone.
It is better to come to the opening, before the influx of the bulk of tourists (partly because of this, we rented an apartment next to the palace).
From the palace to the farthest fountain of Diana and Actaeon stretches a three-kilometer alley, abutting a hill.
To the right of Diana's fountain is the entrance to the English Garden. Expect to be there by at least 11 o'clock.
The first section of the alley (700 m), the so-called parterre, is monotonous and boring, then the cascades begin. You can rent a bike at the entrance to the park (4 euros per hour). In various parts of the park and along the main alley, you can ride a horse-drawn carriage (5 euros for a half-hour walk and 10 - for 50 minutes). Also, tourist buses run from the palace to the English Garden for 2.50 euros one way. If you wish, you can take the bus at least one way.
On the other hand, if time permits, take a walk. The views are wonderful and the perspective changes with every step. We walked all the way back and forth. At first, we intended to take a bus on the way back, but could not deny ourselves the pleasure of walking along the cascades again. And on the boring lower section of the alley, as we approached the palace, we deviated to the right and walked through the so-called Old Forest, which houses the summer palace pavilion of Castellucca and the large Lake Peschiera.
Whether to use transport - here the season still matters. We were in February, the weather was wonderful (like ours at the end of April-May), magnolias and camellias were blooming in the English Garden. In summer, judging by the reviews, it is very hot here, and it is not very pleasant to drag 3 km in the heat. It seems to me that it is better to come to Caserta in the low season: few people, not hot, everything is in bloom.
It takes at least 5 hours to visit Reggia di Caserta. We spent about 7 hours there and had lunch there. The palace has a cafeteria and a self-service cafe. The choice of food is small, the prices are affordable. In hot weather, do not forget to take water with you, you will have to walk for a long time.
There will be a separate story about the palace and park complex of Reggia di Caserta with photographs, more precisely, three stories: oh, oh and about.
City of Caserta
Caserta itself, as I mentioned, is a recent city, and there is practically nothing to see there. There are several palazzo local nobles (some of them were designed by the son of Luigi Vanvitelli - Carlo). In honor of Luigi Vanvitelli, who gave the construction of the royal residence 20 years of his life, a large square in the center of Caserta is named. There is a monument to the architect on it.
Monument to Vanvitelli in Vanvitelli square
We also dropped by the local Duomo. It is dedicated to Michael the Archangel, built in the 19th century. To the left of it is a small church with a tower - the chapel of San Giovanni, one of the oldest churches in Caserta (early 14th century).
Pay attention to the cleanliness of the streets. Just 30 km from Naples, and such a contrast. As if other people live here.
Interesting houses come across.
In an old pharmacy
Evening Caserta
Places of interest in the vicinity of Caserta
Casertavecchia
In addition to the royal residence, I really wanted to see Casertavecchia, a medieval city on the top of a hill, which has survived to our times almost untouched by time. Caserta vecchia is located 7 km from Caserta, and there is a bus number 103 from the station.
It runs rarely, about once an hour, and if you are going to go there, immediately upon arrival in Caserta, look at the station for the schedule.
Just in case, I am writing a schedule that is current for February 2017:
5-00, 6-35, 7-20, 8-20, 9-20, 10-25, 11-20, 12-25, 13-20, 14-20, 15-20, 16-35, 17-20, 18-20, 19-20, 20-20
Buses return from Casertavecchia about an hour from the departure time from Caserta station.
It takes about 20 minutes by car (according to Google).
Unfortunately, we listened to our owner Giuseppe, who confidently said that buses run from Piazza Vanvitelli at the beginning of every hour. For some reason, it often happens that the locals with great certainty assert something that in fact is not at all confirmed. So we waited for the bus to Vanvitelli for about half an hour, and as a result, we did not get to Casertavecchia. I was very annoyed.
Belvedere of San Leucho
The village of San Leucho is located 4 kilometers from the royal palace. Under Ferdinand IV, a silk-spinning manufactory was founded in San Leucho.
At that time, the ideas of building a society on an equal and just basis were widespread. King Ferdinand tried to bring these progressive ideas to life in a village at the San Leucho weaving factory. The workers were given free housing, and the children received free secondary education. There were deductions for the weak, sick and old. The working day was limited to 11 hours, and women were given equal rights with men. The factory was equipped with modern looms and the silk produced here was highly prized.
Now a museum is open in San Leucho. In addition to the royal chambers, there is an exhibition dedicated to the production of silk. Preserved hunting royal lodge Belvedere, painted with frescoes. The Belvedere offers a wonderful view of the surroundings.
Your ticket to Reggia di Caserta includes a visit to the Belvedere of San Leucho. But I think that very few people get there.
You can get there by bus 106, which departs from the station.
Attractions of Caserta on the map
Capua
5 km from Caserta is ancient Capua, an ancient city known for the fact that it was there that the uprising of Spartacus began.
Now a modern city has grown on the site of Capua Santa Maria Capua in the Wind.
From Caserta to Santa Maria Capua Vetere, the train takes 7 minutes, the ticket price is 1.10 euros. Runs about once an hour. The schedule can be viewed at trenitalia.com. The destination is spelled like this: S. Maria Capua Vetere.
You can also take a bus from Caserta station. The photo below shows that several routes follow through Santa Maria Capua Vetere (1, 3, 6, 8, etc.)
From Santa Maria Capua Vetere station to the historic city center, walk 15 minutes.
Sights of Capia: amphitheater, Gladiator Museum, Archaeological Museum of Ancient Capua, Mithreum.
If you used the Campania artecard discount card to visit Reggia di Caserta, then admission to all these Capua museums will be free for you. On this map, Reggia di Caserta, the Belvedere of San Leucho and the museums of Capua are counted as one attraction. If you have a three-day card for the Tutta la region, then the journey will be free (Naples-Cazarta, Caserta-Capua, bus Caserta-San Leucho).
The amphitheater in Capua is considered the second largest in Italy after the Colosseum (followed by the amphitheater in Pozzuoli).
The Gladiator Museum is located in the former gladiator barracks. There you can see the combat armor of gladiators, their ceremonial clothes and collections of weapons: daggers, spears, tridents. The film is shown in 3D: the battle of gladiators with animals.
The Archaeological Museum of Antique Capua presents sarcophagi, amphorae, sculptures, mosaic paintings, decorative elements. Among other things, one can highlight the reconstruction of a typical burial of the 4th century BC, the so-called Tomb of the Priest. The walls of this tomb are covered with images of people, as well as a wonderful garden, into which the deceased supposedly moved after death.
Both museums are small.
Mithreum is an ancient temple of the god Mithra. Mithraeum Capua was discovered by chance relatively recently. The temple has well-preserved frescoes, including the central fresco "Mithra Killing the Bull."
As you can see, there is a lot to see in Caserta and the surrounding area. Another thing is that in the shadow of the royal residence, other sights fade away.
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The city of Caserta (Italy) is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. It is part of the administrative region of Campania with the main city of Naples and is the center of the province of the same name. The settlement is divided into 5 districts: the old Caserta - the historical center, Piedimonte di Casolla with the Benedictine monastery (style - Arab-Romanesque), Vaccheria - the stable yard of the monks, San Leucce - the weaving factory, Falciano.
Caserta during the Lombards (late 1st century AD)
In ancient times, there was a small settlement without a name for us. Feudal wars raged across the land. Count Pando the Greedy of Capua set out to conquer the lands of his nephew Landenulf. He defeated his small detachment and settlement. At this place, the count built a watchtower, which still exists today. Residents went to the mountains 10 km from their homes. This is how Casertavecchia ("old Caserta") was formed.
On Mount Tifatini
People chose this place in ancient times. There was a small town Kazam Irtam. The settlers strengthened it by the 9th century, as they suffered from the attack of the Saracens. The center of the bishopric moved to Casertavecchia. And two centuries later, a cathedral was built, which was dedicated to Michael the Archangel. At the same time, Senor Ricardo di Lauro received this town as a gift from the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Under him, the town is experiencing its heyday. His further life is associated with the arrival of the Aragonese dynasty in the 15th century. A century later, the inhabitants move from the mountain to the valley and begin to settle around the tower, which was built by Pando the Greedy. A city named Caserta (Italy) will appear later.
The owners of these lands
In the 16th century, the territories in question were owned by the Spanish aristocrats Aquaviva, and then Caetani. In the 18th century, they sold their holdings to the Neapolitan king Bourbon. He was looking for a place to build a magnificent summer residence. This is how the city of Caserta appeared in 1752. Italy considers it a young city.
Bourbon palace
The place had to be safe from attacks from the sea, so they choose the place of Caserta. The settlement is moved 10 km to the side, and the construction of the grandiose royal palace of Reggia di Caserta begins. It must outshine Versailles with its brilliance and grandeur. The King invites the architect Luigi Vantivelli. Two royal palaces serve as examples - the Spanish, where Charles spent his childhood, and the French. The construction site employs over 2,500 people. Among them are local residents, convicts and Muslim slaves. First, the builders completely change the landscape, and then begin from scratch to erect a building of five floors.
It is rectangular. It is 247 m long and 184 m wide. It has 4 courtyards, each over 3800 m² in area. In addition, there are internal galleries, and the 1200 chambers are connected by 56 staircases. Illumination is provided by 1,742 windows. Forty huge halls are painted with frescoes, while at Versailles there are eight fewer. The laying of the park began a year later.
Royal chambers
From the octagonal vestibule to the large Palatine lobby, wide with 117 steps. The edges of its first platform are decorated with two marble lions.
The ceilings are painted: they depict the seasons. Behind the chapel is the court theater. The living quarters are decorated in the Empire style with paintings and bas-reliefs. After passing through the enfilades, you can get to the bedroom of Ferdinand II. Continuing the inspection, the tourist reaches the Throne Room.
This most memorable room is decorated with gilding, paintings, medallions with portraits of all the princes of Naples and the coats of arms of all the provinces of the kingdom. There is also a fresco here that reminds of the first stone was laid in the foundation of the palace.
The tourist will definitely visit the study and the king's bedroom, as well as the queen's bathroom with Venetian mirrors and rococo paintings.
Kings park
The regular part stretches for three kilometers in length with two parallel alleys along which are located the most beautiful fountains: "Margarita", Aeolus fountain, "Ceres", waterfalls, fountains of Venus and Adonis, Diana and Actaeon (the most famous is at the foot of the great cascade). Then it moves into a landscape park in a free English style. Its western part is called the Old Forest. It existed long before construction. It has paths that lead to the Little Castle, a small two-story octagonal pavilion. It has the shape of a tower and is surrounded by a moat. There is a huge lake to the north of the Old Forest. It was supplied with water from an aqueduct system designed by Luigi Vantivelli. In the center is an artificial island where Queen Maria Carolina loved to retire.
- The palace was laid on the king's birthday. He himself laid the first stone.
- The king never lived in the palace, as he left his kingdom for the Spanish crown.
- The architect died without seeing the completion of the work. His work was continued and finished by his son.
- Episodes of "Star Wars" ("Stealthy Attack" and "Attack of the Clones"), the film "Mission Impossible 3", "The Da Vinci Code", "Angels and Demons", scenes from the movie "Waterloo" by S. Bondarchuk were filmed in the palace today ...
San Leuccio
On the territory of the park, there was a silk-spinning manufactory created in the 18th century and a settlement of weavers around it in San Leuccio. Today this factory has become one of the landmarks of Caserta and turned into a Silk Museum. There you can look at the old weaving looms and follow all the operations for the production of expensive fabric. Today the silk of the city of Caserta (Italy) is famous far beyond its borders. They decorate the interiors of the royal palaces of Europe and our Kremlin.
What to visit near Caserta
Away from the tourist routes is Caserta (Italy). Attractions can also be found in the neighboring town of Capua. The famous fought in his arena And after that you can make purchases at the outlet.
Shopping in Caserta (Italy)
Lovers of modern fashion should definitely visit La Redja Designer Outlet. It is located in Marcianiz.
Its territory is large and involves leisurely shopping. It features bars, cafés and restaurants, as well as a children's playground. More than 200 designer and luxury brands are on sale here with discounts ranging from 35 to 70%. There are always Alberta Ferretti, Blumarine, Armani, Versace, Prada, Polo Ralph Lauren, Trussardi and Valentino among them. And to buy silk products, you should visit the showroom in San Leuccio.
Climatic conditions
The weather in Caserta (Italy) is warm and temperate. Most of the precipitation occurs in November (temperatures range from +9 ... + 15 ° C), and the hottest and driest month is July (+23 ... + 29 ° C).
Golden Tulip, Caserta (Italy)
There are no less than 20 good hotels in Caserta. One of the most modern and comfortable ones is Golden Tulip. It is very comfortable and has a swimming pool with sunbathing lawn. Breakfast is delicious, varied and rich. The room has a kettle, water, tea, coffee, TV, air conditioning, iron, hygiene products, a set of towels. The rooms themselves are spacious, bright and comfortable. The beds are comfortable. Wi-Fi is available, of course. Russian travelers are more than satisfied with it.
Having visited the city with such an interesting name Caserta (Italy), you will see a fantastically beautiful palace, in which, by the way, there are no crowds of tourists, you will calmly shop (if time and money allow), and you can also see Vesuvius and Pompeii.
Caserta (Italian Caserta) is a city in the Italian region of Campania, the administrative center of the province of the same name. It is little known to tourists, which is a pity, because in its splendor it is not inferior to other cities - places of pilgrimage for tourists, so we will try to fill this gap.Terra di Lavoro is the name of Caserta and its province with mountains, coastlines, lakes, archaeological and artistic monuments. The main attraction of Caserta is the Royal Palace, designed by the architect Luigi Vanvitelli. Everything in this palace evokes admiration: a huge park with magnificent fountains and sculptures, a waterfall and an English garden, exquisite lawns, luxurious halls with valuable furniture, a collection of paintings.
In the 18th century, the King of Naples, Charles III of Bourbon, decided to build the royal residence of the Palazzo Reale in Caserta, and such that it would not be inferior to Versailles. And now you can be convinced of this. The Royal Palace of Caserta boasts beautiful interiors, luxury "baroque", glitter of gold, a collection of paintings and a huge English park with magnificent fountains, sculptures and a waterfall.
The grandiose country palace of the Neapolitan kings is, in all likelihood, the largest building erected in Europe in the XVIII century. This he owes to Luigi Vanvitelli, who took as a model not so much Versailles as the royal palace in Madrid. The need to build a palace was explained not only by considerations of international prestige, but also by the fact that the royal residence in Naples was open to attacks from the sea.
From 1752 to 1780 1200 rooms and a court theater were built in the palace, but plans to build a university and a library, as well as a 20-kilometer driveway, were abandoned after Vanvitelli's death. The most extensive English park in Italy is laid out around the palace, among the attractions of which are numerous fountains, the colossal Vanvitelli aqueduct and a silk-spinning manufactory that looks more like a garden pavilion. By the time the construction was completed, national imitations of Versailles went out of fashion, and many accusations fell to the lot of the creators of the Caserta Palace of the insane extravagance and monotony of the monotonous perspectives they created.
In 1997, UNESCO declared the palace and park ensemble in Caserta a World Heritage Site of Humanity.
Italy Caserta attractions
| Abbey of Saint Michael the Archangel Charles aqueduct Belvedere of San Leucho Chapel of St. Roch Cathedral of Casertavecchia Cathedral of Caserta |
While vacationing in Pozzuoli, near Naples, after a trip to the island of Ischia, we wanted to take a walk in the park. There is no problem with beautiful parks, but there is one place where a promenade with fountains and waterfalls stretches for 3 km! A sort of Italian Versailles. Now I will tell you about it.
While vacationing in Pozzuoli, near Naples, after a trip to the island of Ischia, we wanted to take a walk in the park. There is no problem with beautiful parks, but there is one place where a promenade with fountains and waterfalls stretches for 3 km! A sort of Italian Versailles. Now I will tell you about it.
The city of Caserta is located in southern Italy, 40 km north of Naples, on the edge of the Campanian Valley. Caserta is the administrative center of the province of the same name - a developed industrial, agricultural and commercial city, a transport hub. About 80,000 people live here.
In the center of the city is the main attraction, a UNESCO site - the residence of Reggia di Caserta - the palace of the Neapolitan kings. The Royal Palace of Caserta is considered the largest building in Europe in the 18th century.
The city itself is nothing interesting. On the way from Naples, one town flows smoothly into another. The views are not impressive at all. But everything changes when you drive up to the palace!
How to get to Caserta?
The easiest way to get here is by train. There is a train from Naples with Napoli Centrale approximately every 30 minutes, for about € 10 to the Caserta station. Travel time is 40 minutes.
It makes no sense to go here from Rome, but suddenly you want to. The train runs from Termini Station. You need to go to the Caserta station. Travel time is 1 hour 10 minutes, and the ticket costs about € 35.
Tip from reader Irina: In Italy, you can easily buy a cheap ticket to any direction. Trenitalia.com has good rates. The main thing is to buy in advance. Of course, many people buy right on the day of the trip, then, yes, it is expensive. But in advance from 9 euros from Rome to Caserta.
We packed up a parking lot in the navigator right under the lawn in front of the palace. It was Sunday, 9 am. The parking lot was empty. It costs € 1 per hour. Not expensive at all by Italian standards.
The entrance to the palace
I don’t know why, but on this day, the entrance to the park was free. The park is open from 8:30 to 19:00, in winter until 15:30.
Entrance fees:
- € 14. Includes historic apartments, gallery, Terrae Motus exhibition, park and English garden.
- € 10 only entrance to the park and the English garden.
Tuesday is a day off.
A little about the palace
Today, in Caserta, the royal chambers, the art gallery and the former court theater are open to the public. There are two exhibitions in the building: the Territorial Museum and the Opera Museum.
The most striking element of the palace furnishings is the marble front staircase with 116 steps. To the right of the staircase is the Palatine Chapel with a spectacular finish in colored marble and stucco plaster; with Giuseppe Bonito's altarpiece "Immaculate Conception". On the left there is a grandiose suite of halls.
Splendid quarters follow one another: the Halls of the Halberdders and the Bodyguards; Alexander's room with a fresco by Mariano Rossi. Next are the royal apartments - New and Old apartments. The old apartments culminate in the Oval Hall; in the middle of the Novye is the Throne Room - the largest and most impressive in the entire palace.
But we came to see the park! It was towards noon. It's time to take a walk.
Palace park
The park is almost endless
The area of the palace park is 120 hectares (it is the largest regular park in Italy with elements of a landscape garden). There is a water parterre in front of the building; a cascade of fountains stretches from it for 3.5 km. You can get from the palace to the end of the Grand Cascade by a special minibus.
Fancy some fun in the park?
Too lazy to walk with your feet? Then for € 1 you will be taken to the cascade of waterfalls by bus. You can rent a bike for € 4 per hour. Not sure if you are going up the hill? Then take an e-bike for € 6 per hour. Do you want to ride with the whole family? A cycle rickshaw for € 13 per hour is at your service, but it's hard to ride uphill. I recommend walking or e-bike.
And then they ride a carriage - this is romance!
Park plan
Walk in the park
I would divide the park into 3 parts:
- The park itself. Some lawns without flowers and some trees.
- Alley with fountains
- Ascent uphill along the cascade of waterfalls.
The first part of the park was not impressive. Sweltering heat, little shade.
Did you know?
The Caserta Palace was used for filming more than once. Here were filmed episodes of "Star Wars", films "Mission Impossible - 3" and "Angels and Demons".
Modest fountain Margarita - 1 of 6 fountains
History page
The construction of the palace began in 1752, by order of the King of Naples and Sicily, Charles VII (Carlos III of Bourbon). The summer royal residence, built earlier on the coast in Portici, was too vulnerable to attacks from the sea. In addition, its location did not allow a full-scale park to be set up nearby. The new palace was to surpass the most important European residences in size and luxury.
The work was entrusted to Luigi Vanvitelli. The architect took the grandiose Palace of Versailles as the basis for the project. Vanvitelli was faced with a difficult task. Caserta was intended to become a "city within a city", to accommodate many royal apartments, a courtyard and government, all kinds of services. A total of 1200 different premises were created. When the model of the future giant palace was presented to Charles VII, the monarch was delighted.
The rectangular palace complex, with external dimensions of 247 by 184 m, was oriented by the facades to the four cardinal points. Four courtyards were hidden behind the outer wings, separated by inner buildings that form a cross. Through passages and galleries were arranged at the crossroads of these buildings for easy passage to different parts of the palace. The work was completed in 1780 by the son of the architect - Carlo Vanvitelli.
English garden
They are allowed to enter the English Garden strictly on schedule. About once an hour or an hour and a half. By 11 o'clock we almost did not have time, and on the way back we were late by 5 minutes. Therefore, we did not get there.
Spotted kitty
Part 3 - cascades of waterfalls
The last part is the most exciting. A steep winding staircase leads us to the farthest and highest point of the park. A cascade of waterfalls begins at the top. There is a panoramic view of the city from there. Being at the top, you do not understand how you managed to overcome such a distance in the heat in one breath. Measured the height - 217 meters!
Total
We spent € 11 on petrol from Pozzuoli, € 5 on ice cream and € 5 on parking = € 21 for two :-)
Caserta is a good place to get away from dirty Naples, take a break from the sea or stretch out after a week of doing nothing on the beach. A whole day is worth setting aside for the park. In the hottest weather, you can cool off in the cool rooms of the palace and see an excellent collection of paintings.
Alternatively, you can come here from Rome with an overnight stay. Check out the hotels in the city. And the next day to leave for the island of Ischia, by the way, read my report on the island.
What do you think of this park? Have you been there? What is the important thing I have missed? Write in the comments below.
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