Capodimonte Museum

Charles of Bourbon began the palace in 1738 partly to house the Farnese collection he had inherited through his mother, and it holds Titian, Raphael, Parmigianino, Masaccio, Bruegel's The Blind Leading the Blind, and Caravaggio's Flagellation, painted in Naples. A separate floor covers Neapolitan painting from the thirteenth century onward, and there is a contemporary section including Warhol's Vesuvius. The royal porcelain manufactory operated here and one room is lined entirely with porcelain panels. The surrounding park of about a hundred and thirty hectares was a hunting reserve and is now open as a public park.

Background

Charles first meant to put up a hunting lodge on the hill, but the Palace of Portici was too small for his court, so a grand palace was planned instead. His mother, Elisabetta Farnese, was the last descendant of the ducal family of Parma. In 1787 a laboratory for restoring paintings opened on the advice of Jacob Philipp Hackert. The palace was completed in 1840, along with a gallery of contemporary art. The boudoir of Maria Amalia of Saxony came from Portici in 1866, and a Roman era marble floor from a villa on Capri followed in 1877. In 1950 the palace became solely a national museum, and its current form was inaugurated in 1957.

Source: Wikipedia, "Museo di Capodimonte"

Highlights

• The Farnese collection - Titian, Raphael, Parmigianino and Bruegel.
• Caravaggio's Flagellation - painted during his time in Naples.
• The porcelain room - a chamber lined entirely in Capodimonte porcelain.
• The park - 130 hectares of former royal hunting ground, free to enter.

When to go

Year-round; the museum closes Wednesdays. It is far quieter than Naples' central sights. The park is a genuine escape from the city in summer.

Good to know

It is on a hill outside the centre and the bus can be slow. The collection is very large and tiring in one visit. Some floors close in rotation.

Nearby

The Catacombs of San Gennaro lie below; the centre is south.

Key facts