ITN24 CAE - Visit to Caserta Royal Palace

Students travelled by bus to the Palazzo di Caserta in Naples, the largest palace in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They were able to wander around the palace, guided by the Italian students who presented various cultural aspects linked to this place

History: It was once the residence of several kings of Naples. King Charles III of Bourbon commissioned the construction of the Royal Palace of Caserta in 1752. It was designed and built by its architect, Luigi Vanvitelli. Work stopped for almost 4 years when Vanvitelli died, but Carlo Vanvitelli, Luigi's son, was in charge of construction and proposed a new economic design to the new King Ferdinand IV.

Architecture: With 5 floors, 1,200 rooms, a museum, library and theatre, it is the largest royal residence in the world in terms of volume. The gardens alone cover more than 10 hectares.

Art history : This is the largest palace in the world and the finest representation of Baroque art. The students were able to marvel at the various works of art and the riches on display in the painted rooms of the royal flats. The grand staircase is also a magnificent feature of this palace, which also housed an ‘invisible choir’. Baroque art is also illustrated when you walk through this grand palace, as the palace's fountains, gardens and waterfalls are lined up telescopically, creating the illusion that the gardens stretch to the horizon.

A few elements in particular have been analysed in greater depth :

The grand staircase framed by various statues, the large size of the dome manages to conceal the space reserved for the orchestra, giving the impression of an ‘invisible choir’. It was a source of inspiration for many other beautiful staircases designed subsequently.

The royal flats: The royal floor of the Palazzo di Caserta was divided into 4 quarters: the king's quarters, now known as the 19th-century flats, the crown prince's quarters, now known as the 18th-century flats, and the other two quarters, known as the old and new flats.

The Palatine Chapel, also inspired by the chapel at the Château de Versailles. But Luigi gave the chapel its own Renaissance, Mannerist and Baroque look. Gallery of paintings : Each of the 9 rooms is filled with paintings from the 16th to the 19th centuries classified by specific subject. 

Terrae Motus Collection : A Neapolitan gallery owner, Lucio Amelio, asked a number of contemporary artists to share their creations with the Royal Palace of Caserta after the devastating earthquake that struck Italy on 23 November 1980. The collection, is called Terrae Motus (Latin for earthquake).

The students developed their historical and artistic culture. They were able to discover the differences and similarities between Italy and their country of origin in a real-life context. They were also invited to express feelings and opinions, using English as the language of communication.