The Royal Palace of Caserta

The Royal Palace of Caserta is located  north of Naples, 10 km away from the old town of Caserta, on the edge of the Campania region. 

Designed by the architect Luigi Vanvitelli, the construction of the Royal Palace began in 1752 (and was completed in 1848) by Bourbon King Charles VII under the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Inside, the grand staircase and apartments, the chapel and the theatre, are lavish in their use of marble. Everything must have been exceptional here, including the famous nativity scene with 1,200 figures and the Baroque furnishings in the halls decorated in a classic style. 

Outside, the gardens are stunning - vast fountains, groves, statues and waterfalls. The English gardens are the most beautiful of all. 

Goethe called the castle the "Versailles of the Bourbons" as it is one of the most sumptuous buildings of its kind in Italy. 

The beautiful Royal Palace of Caserta is said to be an exact copy of the Palace of Versailles in France. 

This was the headquarters for the Allied officers during World War II.