Royal Palace of Naples

Brief Information

The Royal Palace in Naples stands on the site of another palace that was being built for the Spanish king Philip III, although he himself never actually visited Naples. The building is therefore important not only as a former Bourbon residence: its site is directly tied to the idea of power designed around the monarch’s presence, even when the monarch remained far away.

The palace’s present appearance took shape after the mid-18th-century reconstruction overseen by Luigi Vanvitelli. Later, the building changed meaning again: various institutions were housed in its wings, while the main part has been occupied since 1814 by the National Library of Naples. Three functions can now be read in a single structure: royal residence, state building, and museum of historic apartments.

What to Notice First

At the western facade, you can compare the statues of rulers with the facade itself: they turn the palace into a visible line of authority, not merely a large building on the square. On either side of the garden gates, it is worth noticing the bronze groups “The Taming of the Horses.” Their importance lies not only in their subject and material: these sculptures by Klodt came here as a gift from Nicholas I to Ferdinand II and had previously been connected with the Anichkov Bridge in Saint Petersburg.

Inside, the palace’s meaning is revealed by the named ceremonial rooms: the Central Hall, the Throne Room, and the Hall of Hercules. Together with the other halls of the royal apartments, they form a museum, so the palace interior here functions as an exhibit. One principle helps you read the place as a whole: outside, the facade and sculptures show the public image of power, while the halls preserve its domestic and ceremonial side.