The Royal Palace of Caserta is undoubtedly one of the most famous Italian residences in the world, thanks also to its long and incredible history. It is located in a strategic position, not too far from Naples but in a much quieter place, as was strongly desired at the time it was designed.
It can be considered as one of the largest royal palaces in the world, although today it no longer has any institutional role. However, it remains a fascinating place, where many historical events have taken place and which also retains a valuable artistic, architectural and natural value, thanks to its lush and immense park.
Luigi Vanvitelli's great architectural masterpiece is a great harmony of rooms, corridors, halls, and courtyards arranged geometrically, a real jewel of composition.
We are talking about a work of inestimable intellectual value, but which the architect himself never saw fully completed. Gigantic, monumental, and mastodonic, it should be considered as the work that closes the great season of Italian Baroque (the great neoclassical influence is already visible) and was completed in 1845.
The Royal Palace of Caserta, a truly exceptional piece of architecture
The palace, almost forty meters high and over two hundred meters long, is built around four large inner courtyards (each measuring over 3,000 square meters) and almost disappears into an immense park finely decorated with statues, fountains, and exotic plants.
Once inside this masterpiece, it is possible to linger over some architectural gems such as the so-called "telescope". A space in which one's point of view is lost on the horizon through the perpendicular corridors and the various octagonal "vestibules"; one has the impression that everything is closer thanks to the beautiful perspective cuts. It is precisely these rooms, which consist of a kind of hallway between inside and outside, that embrace the visitor, harmoniously dividing the space.
Another great attraction of the building rises imposingly in the center of the ground floor, from which one enters: it is the monumental <<royal staircase>>. This element is typical of late Baroque architecture and is
decorated here with statues of lions by Paolo Persico and Pietro Solari, while a beautiful fresco by Girolamo-Starace Franchis stands triumphant on the ceiling: The Four Seasons and the Palace of Apollo.
Once up these extraordinary stairs you enter the main vestibule, which is octagonal. This is another great point perfectly designed by the architect to give an optimal view of everything, and it is also the place in the building where all the light is perfectly collected. From here it is possible to reach the historical flats, which are both an art and a purely historical museum collection, representing flats and rooms that have hosted the courts of the Kingdom of Naples and the Two Sicilies. The palatine chapel is also very interesting and is certainly an indicator of the Christian values of the Bourbon dynasty. Over the years, the Royal Palace of Caserta has also opened up to modern life, hosting exhibitions by great artists, contemporary art collections such as Lucio Amelio's Terrae Motus, and becoming the set for iconic films such as Star Wars.
We are talking about a place that should not be taken for granted and that is always ready for new surprises.
How to reach the Royal Palace of Caserta from Vico Equense
The Royal Palace of Caserta can be easily reached by train: it is located near the "Caserta" railway station. This station, run by the state railway, can be easily reached from Naples in just over 30 minutes.
For those wishing to travel directly from Vico Equense and the Sorrentine peninsula, it is advisable to reach the EAV station of the same name to arrive at the Naples P.zza Garibaldi station (correspondence/interchange with Napoli Centrale). The journey takes approximately 55 minutes and trains run every 30 minutes.
Other possible connections (at higher prices) are via taxi, NCC or private car in about an hour's journey, via the motorway is not too high traffic conditions.