21 May 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.

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

A submerged stone bridge constructed 5600 years ago shed light on the human colonization of the western Mediterranean

31 August 2024

31 August 2024

An interdisciplinary research team, led by University of South Florida (USF) geology Professor Bogdan Onac, has examined an ancient submerged...

The Ramesseum’s ‘House of Life’ Reveals Ancient Egypt’s Educational Secrets!

6 April 2025

6 April 2025

A recent archaeological mission has unveiled groundbreaking findings at the Ramesseum, the grand mortuary temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II, located...

Scientists discover 4 new Nazca Geoglyphs using AI deep learning

4 June 2023

4 June 2023

Scientists from Japan used AI deep learning to discover new geoglyphs in the Arid Peruvian coastal plain, in the northern...

China exhibits 2,000-year-old artifacts discovered in Guangzhou

12 August 2021

12 August 2021

On August 10, the National Museum of China launched an exhibition featuring archaeological finds from ancient China’s Qin (221–207 BC)...

1,800-Year-Old Sanctuary to Mithras discovered in Spain

8 February 2023

8 February 2023

Archaeologists excavating at Villa del Mitra in Cabra, Spain, have uncovered a sanctuary dedicated to the god Mithras, along with...

After 85 years of adventure, Globetrotting Mycenaean gold ring returns home

3 June 2022

3 June 2022

The 3,000-year-old gold Mycenaean ring, stolen from the Rhodes Archaeological Museum during World War II and later bought by a...

Deadly 7.7 quakes hit Turkey destroys historical Gaziantep Castle

6 February 2023

6 February 2023

A deadly 7.7 magnitude earthquake that rocked the southern province of Kahramanmaraş, with tremors felt in the neighboring provinces, has...

Researchers found similar descriptions in the Book of Revelation and ancient curse tablets

10 February 2023

10 February 2023

A research project headed by Dr. Michael Hölscher of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), has uncovered that the book of...

Archaeologists find a 3,000-year-old bronze sword in Germany

15 June 2023

15 June 2023

Archaeologists discovered a bronze sword more than 3,000 years old during excavations in the town of Nördlingen in Bavaria, Germany....

7500-year-old idol of Goddess Asherah located in Israel

22 May 2022

22 May 2022

Archaeologists excavating an ancient cemetery in Israel have discovered an idol they believe belongs to the goddess Ashera at a...

Receding waters in Lake Van reveal rock-cut Urartian port

22 September 2022

22 September 2022

Located in the eastern province of Van in Turkey, the falling water level of Lake Van, with the decrease in...

12,000-year-old ‘public building’ unearthed in southeastern Turkey’s Mardin

27 September 2022

27 September 2022

Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a “public building” thought to be 12,000 years old at Boncuklu Tarla in the...

Sixth-Century Sword Unearthed in Anglo-Saxon Cemetery near Canterbury, England

28 December 2024

28 December 2024

A spectacular sixth-century sword has been unearthed in an Anglo-Saxon cemetery in southeast England, and archaeologists say it is in...

Excavations at Coleshill may rewrite English Civil War history

5 February 2023

5 February 2023

Archaeologists excavating the site of Coleshill Manor in Warwickshire have revealed evidence of what could be one of the first...

New Discovery at Karahan Tepe: The Figure of a Running Wild Donkey Carved on Stone

31 August 2024

31 August 2024

The figure of a running wild donkey carved on a stone was discovered during excavations at Karahan Tepe, a Pre-Pottery...