Reggia di Caserta: the Italian garden

Historic residence belonged to the Royal House of Bourbon of Naples, the Royal Palace of Caserta is surrounded by a large park, which extends for 3 km in length, with South-North development, its 120 hectares.
We have already discovered characteristics of the English garden and its particular botanical qualities, in this article we explore the wonders of the Italian Garden, pulsating heart of the Italian Versailles.

Italian Garden: Castelluccia and the secrets of the King

The park of the Royal Palace was designed as an ascending path from the ground to the water source, symbol of life and birth. Crossing the threshold of entry of the palace you will come across the so-called "old grove". The eye falls on a small construction, la “Castelluccia”, a kind of fortress with drawbridge, It surrounded by a moat fed by the water of a small canal. Used as then home for picnics, the place was destined to exercises for the naval battles of the small Ferdinand IV and involved the use of specially constructed model. The Castelluccia also included an islet known as the "Pagliara", that well it is hidden beneath the vegetation had to contain a pavilion with arrows and guns, then transformed into a place for the entertainment of guests.

Italian Garden: Fountains

Another feature of Italian gardens are the fountains that still attract many tourists to the Reggia di Caserta.

Finely carved and massive visual impact fountains follow one another along the central avenue as a result of an elaborate and complex work. In the build The architect Luigi Vanvitelli decided to specifically realize a long aqueduct , doing digging deep wells. The implementation of the work time was very long, ben 16 years, but the result is plain for everyone. It is impossible not to see at a glance the beauty of the great waterfall.

The fountain of the three dolphins, travertine, It is among the most beautiful and spectacular achievements of the sculptor Gaetano Salomone. It represents three sea monsters, one of which is greatest at the center, with the head and the body of a dolphin from whose mouth pours water. The fountain was designed by Carlo Vanvitelli who reworks the now deceased father project.

The Fontana Margherita, inserted in a circular flowerbed, It closes the Italian garden opening the path that leads into the English with the first of three large tanks with longitudinal development: the Peschiera Grande. A reservoir almost half a kilometer long which ends with a sculptural complex of three large dolphins from their mouths gushing water. A little further on, separated by a large lawn, soar the sophisticated complex of Aeolus Fountain, Fountain of Ceres and the extraordinary Fountain of Venus and Adonis. Following in the footsteps of so much majesty you reach the wide staircase leading to the tank containing the two magnificent sculptures of Diana and Actaeon. It is from here that opens the spectacular show of the English Garden.