Royal Park of Capodimonte - Naples
The site originated as a hunting reserve for King Charles and was the royal residence for three dynasties, each of which left a mark: the Bourbons, the French rulers, Joseph Bonaparte and Joachim Murat and the Savoys after the Unification of Italy. On the way you will pass through sumptuous environments, such as the Sala della Culla and the Salone delle Feste, and private places such as the Alcova Pompeiana. King Charles in 1734 had conquered Naples and Sicily, and immediately ordered the construction of the new Royal Palace of Capodimonte: it was the first material demonstration of his will to make the Kingdom sovereign and independent from Spain. From 1735 King Charles had given orders for the transfer to Naples of the Farnesian collections inherited from his mother Elisabetta Farnese.
In 1739 a commission of experts was commissioned by the Sovereign to study the most suitable arrangement of a part of the collections arrived from Parma: it was decided to reserve to the paintings the rooms exposed at noon and towards the sea, because drier and better lit, while for the books, medals and other objects were chosen the so-called "back rooms", overlooking the woods. Before the looting, operated by the Napoleonic in 1799, the paintings amounted to 1783; In fact, in addition to the Farnesian collection, the works of the Bourbon collection were already on display.
After the Unification of Italy, the Royal Palace of Capodimonte was reorganized with the aim of making it a Gallery of Modern Art. After a series of purchases of paintings and sculptures by living artists, the Gallery reaches 605 paintings and 95 sculptures. The Ministry of Education approves the project that involves the transfer of collections of medieval and modern art from the National Museum (now MANN) to the Palace of Capodimonte, whose Gallery had been closed for years. Finally, in 1957 the new structure called Museo e Gallerie Nazionali di Capodimonte was inaugurated.
The Real Bosco, with its 134 hectares and more than 400 plant species, is an unspoilt green area overlooking the city and the Gulf of Naples. Thanks to the mild climate and the activity of renowned botanists, many rare and exotic species were planted here. Among the avenues, designed with skill by the architect Ferdinando Sanfelice, there are 16 historic buildings including residences, workshops, warehouses and churches, as well as fountains and statues, vegetable gardens and orchards. For its historical, architectural and botanical heritage, the Bosco di Capodimonte was named in 2014 the most beautiful park in Italy.
The restoration involved a series of works to improve the avenues, squares and walls of the Park; Moreover, the restoration ends with the reconstruction of the plants. BACK TO ALL RESTORATIONS
