The Gardens of the “Reggia di Caserta” and the Waterway: From Court Leisure to Resource. The Genius of Luigi Vanvitelli

The Royal Palace of Caserta, a sumptuous residence of the bourbon dynasty, is a highly articulated museum system: in addition to the monumental palace, the complex also includes the large gardens which, in turn, lend themselves to further classifications: from the oldest part of the Italian garden through the eighteenth-century garden inspired by French garden art to the landscape garden. Museum use and conservation needs, aspects that are not always easily reconciled, cannot be separated from the reconstruction of the history of the creation of these gardens and their evolution over time. Also, their management must be adjusted to both aesthetic and functional needs. The main documentary sources that allow us to reconstruct the genesis and evolution of the Royal Palace gardens have been found in the Archivio Storico (Historical Archive) of the Royal Palace of Caserta. Particularly rich in contributions are letters, such as the ones sent by Luigi Vanvitelli to his brother Urbano containing information on the construction phases of the Palace and Gardens. In 1750, Charles of Bourbon decided to build a new royal residence as the ideal centre of the kingdom of Naples. The plain of Terra di Lavoro, the Campania felix of the ancient Romans, and a site dominated by the sixteenth century palace of the Acquaviva family were chosen as the location for the new administrative capital of the kingdom. Designing the imposing building, destined to rival other European royal residences, was entrusted, after various events, to the architect of Dutch origin Luigi Vanvitelli (1700-1773), who was inspired by well-known models such as the Escorial, Aranjuez and, of course, Versailles. The construction of the Royal Palace of Caserta began with the laying of the first stone on 20 January 1752 and proceeded busily until 1759, the year in which Charles of Bourbon, after the death of his father, King Philip V of Spain, left the kingdom of Naples for Madrid. After the death of Luigi Vanvitelli in 1773, his grand project was carried out by his son Carlo and other architects of his school.