Caserta
Encyclopedia
Province of Caserta
The Province of Caserta is a province in the Campania region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Caserta. The former royal palace of Caserta is located near to the city.It has an area of 2,639 km², and a total population of 879,342...
in the Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
region of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is an important agricultural, commercial and industrial comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
and city. Caserta is located on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Campanian Subapennine mountain range. The city is best known for the Palace of Caserta
Caserta Palace
The Royal Palace of Caserta is a former royal residence in Caserta, southern Italy, constructed for the Bourbon kings of Naples. It was the largest palace and one of the largest buildings erected in Europe during the 18th century...
.
History
Modern Caserta was established around the defensive tower built in LombardLombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
times by Pando
Pando of Capua
Pando the Rapacious was the second son of Landulf I of Capua and brother of Lando I. When his father died , Lando succeeded to the countship, but Pando and their younger brother Landulf were associated as co-rulers...
, Prince of Capua. Pando destroyed the original city around 863. The tower is now part of the Palazzo della Prefettura which was once the seat of the counts of Caserta, as well as a Royal residence. The original population moved from Casertavecchia
Casertavecchia
thumb|The Cathedral of Casertavecchia.thumb|Streets at night of Casertavecchia.Casertavecchia, a frazione of Caserta, is an Italian medieval village that lies at the foot of the Tifatini Mountains located 10 km north-east of the City of Caserta at an altitude of approximately 401 meters...
(former bishopric
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
seat) to the current site in the 16th century.
The city and vicinity were the property of the Acquaviva
Acquaviva
-Places:Italy:*Acquaviva Collecroce, in the province of Campobasso*Acquaviva delle Fonti, in the province of Bari*Acquaviva d'Isernia, in the province of Isernia*Acquaviva Picena, in the province of Ascoli Piceno...
family, who, being pressed by huge debts, sold all the land to the royal family. The royal family then selected Caserta for the construction of their new palace, which, being in land was seen as more defensible than the previous palace fronting the Bay of Naples.
Caserta is nowadays also well known for the strong influence of the Camorra
Camorra
The Camorra is a Mafia-type criminal organization, or secret society, originating in the region of Campania and its capital Naples in Italy. It is one of the oldest and largest criminal organizations in Italy, dating to the 18th century.-Background:...
, a Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
-type organization, on the city's economic and social life.
Overview
Caserta is located 40 km (24.85 mi) in north of NaplesNaples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and is part of its metropolitan area
Naples metropolitan area
The Naples metropolitan area is the urban agglomeration centred around the city of Naples in Campania, Italy.The total population of Province of Naples is 3,092,859, the third metropolitan area in Italy by population, 969,061 of this coincides with the city of Naples...
. Its municipality borders with Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
, Casagiove
Casagiove
Casagiove is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 25 km north of Naples and about 1 km west of Caserta.-History:...
, Casapulla
Casapulla
Casapulla is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 25 km north of Naples and about 4 km west of Caserta. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 8,339 and an area of 2.9 km²....
, Castel Morrone
Castel Morrone
Castel Morrone is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 35 km north of Naples and about 6 km north of Caserta...
, Curti, Limatola
Limatola
Limatola is a comune in the Province of Benevento in the Italian region Campania, located about 35 km northeast of Naples and about 30 km west of Benevento...
(BN
Province of Benevento
The Province of Benevento is a province in the Campania region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Benevento.It has an area of 2,071 km², and a total population of 289,455...
), Maddaloni
Maddaloni
Maddaloni is a town and comune of Campania, Italy, in the province of Caserta, about 5 km SE of Caserta, with stations on the railways from Caserta to Benevento and from Caserta to Avellino.-Main sights:...
, Marcianise
Marcianise
Marcianise is a town and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, Italy.-History:In the area of the commune of Marcianise numerous tombs of Etruscan and Roman age have been excavated, although Oscan elements should have pre-existed. The origin of the today's city are uncertain...
, Recale
Recale
Recale is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 25 km north of Naples and about 3 km southwest of Caserta.-External links:*...
, San Felice a Cancello
San Felice a Cancello
San Felice a Cancello is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 30 km northeast of Naples and about 14 km southeast of Caserta.It has a mostly agricultural economy.-External links:*...
, San Marco Evangelista
San Marco Evangelista
San Marco Evangelista is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 25 km northeast of Naples and about 4 km south of Caserta...
, San Nicola la Strada
San Nicola la Strada
San Nicola la Strada is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 25 km northeast of Naples and about 2 km south of Caserta.-External links:*...
, San Prisco
San Prisco
San Prisco is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 30 km north of Naples and about 5 km northwest of Caserta...
, Sant'Agata de' Goti
Sant'Agata de' Goti
Sant'Agata de' Goti is a comune in the Province of Benevento in the Italian region Campania, located about 35 km northeast of Naples and about 25 km west of Benevento near the Monte Taburno....
(BN), Santa Maria Capua Vetere
Santa Maria Capua Vetere
-External links:*...
and Valle di Maddaloni
Valle di Maddaloni
Valle di Maddaloni is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 30 km northeast of Naples and about 7 km east of Caserta....
.
Frazioni
- CasertavecchiaCasertavecchiathumb|The Cathedral of Casertavecchia.thumb|Streets at night of Casertavecchia.Casertavecchia, a frazione of Caserta, is an Italian medieval village that lies at the foot of the Tifatini Mountains located 10 km north-east of the City of Caserta at an altitude of approximately 401 meters...
is the ancient centre of the comune and former bishopric seat. - San Leucio resort, seat of famous Royal silk workshops, also included in the World Heritage List.
- Vaccheria, which housed the stable of the Royal cattle.
- Falciano is a former bishop seat; it includes a 16th century palace.
- Piedimonte di Casolla has an ancient BenedictineBenedictineBenedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
abbey, built over a Roman temple dedicated to DianaDiana (mythology)In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt and moon and birthing, being associated with wild animals and woodland, and having the power to talk to and control animals. She was equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, though she had an independent origin in Italy...
.
Main sights
- Caserta's main attraction is its Royal Palace (listed as a UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage SiteWorld Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
). The palace was created in the 18th century by the Italian architect Luigi VanvitelliLuigi VanvitelliLuigi Vanvitelli was an Italian engineer and architect. The most prominent 18th-century architect of Italy, he practiced a sober classicizing academic Late Baroque style that made an easy transition to Neoclassicism.-Biography:Vanvitelli was born at Naples, the son of a Dutch painter of land and...
as a VersaillesVersaillesVersailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
-like residence ("Reggia") for the BourbonHouse of BourbonThe House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
kings of Naples and SicilySicilySicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. It is one of the most visited monuments in the country. Inside are more than 1200 rooms, decorated in various styles. It has been the set for several famous movies such as Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
and Mission Impossible III. The park is 2 miles (3.2 km) long and contains many waterfalls, lakes and gardens, as well as a very famous English gardenEnglish gardenThe English garden, also called English landscape park , is a style of Landscape garden which emerged in England in the early 18th century, and spread across Europe, replacing the more formal, symmetrical Garden à la française of the 17th century as the principal gardening style of Europe. The...
. - Palazzo Vecchio ("Old Palace"), a construction of the 14th century renovated by Luigi Vanvitelli as provisional residence for the royal court.
- The Cathedral (18th century).
- The Aqueduct of VanvitelliAqueduct of VanvitelliThe Aqueduct of Vanvitelli or Caroline Aqueduct is an aqueduct built to supply the Reggia di Caserta and the San Leucio complex, supplied by water arising at the foot of Taburno, from the springs of the Fizzo, in the territory of Bucciano , which it carries along a winding 38 km route...
(18th century).
Transport
Caserta railway stationCaserta railway station
Caserta railway station serves the city and comune of Caserta, in the region of Campania, southern Italy. Opened in 1843, it forms the junction between the Rome–Cassino–Naples railway and the Naples–Foggia railway, and is also a terminus of the Salerno–Caserta railway.The station is currently...
is a hub for regional and national traffic, and represents an important interchange linking Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
to Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
. Nearest airport is Naples-Capodichino
Naples Airport
Naples Airport can refer to:*Naples International Airport in Naples, Italy*Naples Municipal Airport in Naples, Florida...
, located circa 30 km (18.64 mi) south.
Caserta is the starting point of the A30 motorway to Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
and, on A1
Autostrada A1 (Italy)
The Autostrada A1, or Autostrada del Sole , is an Italian motorway which connects Milan with Naples via Bologna, Florence and Rome. At 754 km, it is the longest Italian autostrada and is considered the “spinal cord” of the country’s road network...
, is served by two exits: Caserta Nord (C. North, near Casagiove
Casagiove
Casagiove is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 25 km north of Naples and about 1 km west of Caserta.-History:...
and Casapulla
Casapulla
Casapulla is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 25 km north of Naples and about 4 km west of Caserta. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 8,339 and an area of 2.9 km²....
) and Caserta Sud (C. South, near Marcianise
Marcianise
Marcianise is a town and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, Italy.-History:In the area of the commune of Marcianise numerous tombs of Etruscan and Roman age have been excavated, although Oscan elements should have pre-existed. The origin of the today's city are uncertain...
and San Marco Evangelista
San Marco Evangelista
San Marco Evangelista is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 25 km northeast of Naples and about 4 km south of Caserta...
.
Famous people
Caserta was the birthplace of the Italian writer Maria ValtortaMaria Valtorta
Maria Valtorta was a Roman Catholic Italian writer and poet, considered by many to be a mystic. Her work centers on Catholic Christian themes...
, as well as the air power theorist Giulio Douhet
Giulio Douhet
General Giulio Douhet was an Italian general and air power theorist. He was a key proponent of strategic bombing in aerial warfare...
.
Fictional character Jennifer Melfi of The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
said her family was from Caserta.
See also
- US Casertana
- Seconda Università degli Studi di NapoliSeconda Università degli Studi di NapoliThe Second University of Naples is a university located in Naples and Caserta, Italy. It was founded in 1991 and is organized into departments and Specialist Schools....