prince-de-versailles: The Royal Palace of Caserta was begun in 1754 by the French Bourbon Kings of N
prince-de-versailles: The Royal Palace of Caserta was begun in 1754 by the French Bourbon Kings of Naples as a country escape just a few miles outside of the congested city. It is the largest of the many palaces inspired by the great Chateau of Versailles that were built all over Europe by monarchs that wanted to recapture the expression of absolute power and influence that Louis XIV and his heirs commanded from Versailles. From St Petersburg to Madrid dozens of such copies were built in Baroque splendor with varying degrees of success, many falling short due to thier creators emphasis on size and to be larger than the original. Caserta is massive in every measure except warmth, charm or comfort. The enormous scale of the state rooms is the same as its private chambers and its gardens. All the unnecessary space left me with a feeling of emptiness and waste when I visited last year. The monumental Grand Staircase was worth the visit however and is one of the most beautiful creations of architectural majesty I had ever stood upon. It is impossible to not to be impressed standing in this regal staircase, a true masterpiece of Baroque Architecture. Adding to the sadness of the palace was the fact that most of the building is unfinished, unused and falling into ruin perhaps due to the lack of tourists but more likely due to the financial burden of keeping up the colossal edifice even by the modern republican government of Italy absent a monarch and purpose. Vive-la-france!! -- source link