Overview
The story of this city in Campania, for many centuries comparable to numerous other medieval towns perched on Apennine elevations, took an important turn in 1752. A huge level area at the foot of the village of Casertavecchia was acquired that year by the king of Naples, Charles of Bourbon. The king intended to make this splendid rural location the seat of his main residence, building a large royal palace and huge, luxuriant gardens. These are the origins of the impressive cultural site that we know today as theRoyal Palace of Caserta. Present-day Caserta, now an important provincial capital, then developed around this architectural masterpiece, which is protected by UNESCO. Between the 18th and 19th centuries in particular, Caserta was enriched by lavish bourgeois buildings, pleasant avenues, monumental squares and a majestic cathedral .
Just to the north of the historic centre, high above the city, are two other locations worthy of a leisurely visit. On one side is the complex of San Leucio, the unfinished industrial dream of Ferdinand IV of Bourbon. Just a little further east can still be seen the original core of Caserta, Casertavecchia, which may have lost its historical importance over the centuries but still surprises visitors who climb its narrow streets in search of artistic and cultural treasures.
