The Grand Staircase and the garden of the Royal Palace in Naples, Italy

The Grand Staircase of the Royal Palace of Naples

The Grand Staircase at the Royal Palace in Naples, Italy

Grand staircase The grand staircase, made entirely of marble, is one of the most impressive architectural features of the Royal Palace of Naples.

It occupies an entire side of the palace’s main courtyard.

It was built between 1651 and 1666 to a design by the architect Francesco Antonio Picchiatti.

It comprises three flights of stairs, a central one with elliptical steps and two symmetrical straight flights on either side; the right-hand side leads to the Royal Palatine Chapel and the left-hand side leads to the court theatre and the apartments.

The Grand Staircase at the Royal Palace This staircase, whose dimensions seem out of proportion to the rest of the palace, was in fact intended to serve as the starting point for the construction of an extension to the palace on the north side.

An extension that was never built, of which the monumental staircase remains the sole surviving element.

This staircase was decorated by the architect Gaetano Genovese between 1838 and 1858 with coloured marble and stucco bas-reliefs depicting military trophies and allegorical figures.

Grand staircase He designed this stunning openwork marble balustrade, which he had installed on either side of the steps along the entire length of the staircase.

The side panels at the top of the staircase are adorned with four plaster statues representing the cardinal virtues.

On the right, “Courage” by Antonio Cali and “Justice” by Gennaro Cali.

On the left, “Mercy” by Tito Angelini and “Prudence” by Tommaso Solari.

Above the statues, stucco bas-reliefs depict the royal virtues.

The grand staircase is covered by a pavilion vault decorated with white stucco depicting the coats of arms and symbols of the dynasties, allegorical figures and trophies, all against a light grey background.

The hanging terrace garden of the Belvedere at the Royal Palace of Naples

The Belvédère Terrace Garden This roof garden was created in the 18th century on the terrace of the royal palace, which overlooks the Bay of Naples.

On this terrace lies a garden featuring entirely Mediterranean vegetation, with a fountain at its centre and a pergola.

But its most interesting feature is, of course, the panoramic view it offers: from here you can see not only the whole of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius, but also the Sorrento Peninsula and, in fine weather, the islands of Capri, Ischia and Procida.

A truly unique view!

The Grand Staircase at the Royal Palace

The Belvédère Terrace Garden