Caserta Palace

history

The construction of the palace was commissioned by the King of Naples VII in 1752. It was started for Charles (Spain King Charles III). The king worked closely with the architect of the building, Luigi Vanvitelli. But he never slept in the Kingdom Palace. Because he resigned from his crown to become King of Spain in 1759. The project is his third son and successor IV. It was handed over to Ferdinand to finish.

Vanvitelli died in 1773: construction was continued by his son, Carlo Vinvitelli, until his death in 1780.

When the building was finished, it had 1,200 rooms, two dozen ornate halls, and a royal theatre.

The people of Caserta were shifted 10 km to obtain a new palace area. A silk factory at the San Leucio resting place has been converted into a pavilion within a huge parkland.

The 20 km long monumental street was to be connected to the palace in Naples, but it never materialized.

Appearance

The palace has a rectangular plan measuring 247 x 184 m. It is connected on four sides by two orthogonal arms, shaped by four inner courtyards, each measuring more than 3,800 m². The palace has 1200 rooms.

Film set

Caserta Palace was used as Queen Amidala's Royal Palace on Naboo in the 1999 movie, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, and again in the 2002 movie Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones as Queen Jamillia's palace. The same room was also used as Mission: Impossible III Vatican City. It was also used as the Vatican Church as the Angels and Demons set.