28 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Italian Versailles being returned to its former glory through

The Italian Royal Palace of Caserta, a long-neglected near Naples, is being restored to its former glory through a vast restoration project funded in part by the European Union’s recovery fund.

Nicknamed the “Italian Versailles”, after the royal palace near Paris, the Italian UNESCO site boasts 1,200 rooms, 1,742 windows, and 123 hectares (303 acres) of lush gardens.

The Royal Palace of Caserta was built on the orders of the King of Naples Charles of Bourbon, with work beginning in 1752 under the direction of architect Luigi Vanvitelli. Created by Luigi Vanvitelli, the Royal Palace of Caserta is the symbolic work of the Bourbons of Naples and the Kingdom of the two Scilies.

It includes a sumptuous palace with a park, gardens, and a wooded area, as well as the Aqueduct Carolino and the industrial complex of San Leucio, built for the production of silk. The Royal Palace is the centerpiece of the whole architectural composition and is located on a central axis that connects and unifies the entire complex.

However, it fell into disuse following Italy’s unification at the end of the nineteenth century, and was only used on rare occasions after that, such as when it served as the Allied headquarters during World War II.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



The ‘Throne Room’ at the Royal Palace of Caserta. Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP
The ‘Throne Room’ at the Royal Palace of Caserta. Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP

From restoring the facades to reviving the gardens and repairing the gates, remedying the ravages of time is a titanic task.

Efforts made so far were rewarded last week when the palace won a third star — the highest accolade — in the prestigious Michelin Green Guide to Southern Italy.

Philippe Orain, the Michelin Green Guides’ director, told AFP the restoration so far was “remarkable”.

The third star lifts the palace and its gardens, complete with reflecting pools and gushing waterfall, to the level of the Pompeii archaeological site.

The Court Theatre of the Royal Palace of Caserta. Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP
The Court Theatre of the Royal Palace of Caserta. Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP

“It is a recognition that we hope will make us known throughout Europe and the world,” said the palace’s director Tiziana Maffei.

The palace has also earned points for its collection of contemporary art, showcased in the royal apartments, as well as its decision to open to visitors in the evenings and at Christmas.

The restoration comes with a stiff price tag, but the project has received around $27 million from the European post-pandemic recovery fund.

But that figure was a little small compared to the total cost and will help restore the aqueduct that carries more than 40 kilometers (25 miles) of water to the palace’s fountains, canals, and basins.

Cover Photo: Regia di Caserta

Related Articles

Two statuettes of Demeter discovered in Aigai, the ‘city of goats’ of the Aeolians in western Türkiye

20 November 2023

20 November 2023

Two statuettes of Demeter, the Greek goddess of earth and fertility, were discovered in a cistern in the ancient city...

Interesting Social Dimensions of Rare Diseases Seen in the Bronze Age

10 March 2021

10 March 2021

When it comes to Rare Diseases, what almost all of us think of is that this disease has affected very...

Sensational Discovery in Salzburg: 1,800-Year-Old Roman Ship’s Bow Unearthed During Renovation

11 September 2025

11 September 2025

Archaeologists conducting excavations amid the renovation of the Neue Residenz in Salzburg’s Old Town have discovered a Roman ship’s bow...

Unlucky medieval woman underwent at least two skull surgeries in Longobard Italy

14 February 2023

14 February 2023

A detailed examination of the skull of a woman who lived at the medieval settlement of Castel Trosino in central...

Remains of 240 people found beneath Ocky White department store in Wales

13 October 2022

13 October 2022

Archaeologists found skeletal remains of over more than 240 people, from beneath a former department store in Pembrokeshire in Wales,...

Floor Mosaic of the Early Byzantine Period Unearthed in St Constantine and Helena Monastery Church in Ordu

12 August 2024

12 August 2024

Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism reported that an in-situ floor mosaic was found at the St Constantine...

Małopolskie Region Reveals Oldest Evidence of Metal Mining in Poland, Dating Back 1,000 Years Earlier Than Previously Thought

16 February 2025

16 February 2025

Researchers have uncovered the oldest confirmed evidence of metal ore mining and metallurgy in Poland through the study of lead...

‘Dinosaur dance floor’ dating back 80 million years found in China

20 April 2021

20 April 2021

In China, researchers have found many dinosaur footprints in an area of 1,600 square meters described in the literature as...

Archaeologists Found 1,600-year-old Burials of Noble Women and Gold Jewelry in the Mountains of Crimea

4 December 2024

4 December 2024

Archaeologists found burials of noble women filled with gold and silver jewelry in the Crimean mountains in the Bakhchisaray region...

A basement discovered on the premises of the ruins of Hitoyoshi Castle in Japan could be a Jewish bathing facility!

7 December 2022

7 December 2022

Experts are still indecisive about why there was a bathing area in the basement which was discovered on the site...

Australia’s 1,400-year-old Mysterious Earth Rings: Evidence of Millennia of Human Effort, Not Natural Formation

21 January 2025

21 January 2025

A chain of mysterious earth rings in the Sunbury hills at the fringe of Melbourne, in Australia have been found...

Researchers identified, for the first time, the composition of a Roman perfume more than 2,000 years old

25 May 2023

25 May 2023

A research team at the University of Cordoba has identified, for the first time, the composition of a Roman perfume...

Derinkuyu: A Subterranean Marvel of Ancient Engineering with 18 Levels and Capacity for 20,000 Inhabitants

2 May 2025

2 May 2025

Beneath the sun-drenched plains of Cappadocia, where otherworldly “fairy chimney” rock formations pierce the sky, lies a secret world carved...

Naked Venus statue discovered in a Roman garbage dump in France

29 March 2023

29 March 2023

Archaeologists from the French National Institute for Preventative Archaeological Research (Inrap) has been uncovered a trove of artifacts, including two...

Between Shamans, Gods and Spirits: A Journey into Bulgaria’s Mysterious Central Asian Origins

2 July 2025

2 July 2025

Long before modern borders were drawn, ancient spiritual traditions — led by shamans and rooted in communion with the unseen...