In Eighteenth century the artistic talent of Luigi Vanvitelli. Architect, painter, and sculptor of the time managed to fascinate the world with his innovative art. Through his ingenuity and irresistible talent, Vanvitelli marked the transition from the opulent Baroque to a new style, more sober and elegant but of a high artistic value, inspired by the model of ancient Greco-Roman civilizations: the Neoclassicism.

Among his countless Italian works, many of which were made in Naples, his hometown, stands out for its grandeur and ingenuity the spectacular Royal Palace of Caserta with its attached Court Theater and the articulate work of theCarolino Aqueduct For water supply.

Perhaps less well known but no less important are other Neapolitan works such as the splendid Vanvitellian Casina Bacoli, Villa Campolieto in Herculaneum, the then Carolinian Forum in the heart of the Neapolitan city, the Church of St. Marcellinus and Festus and the Basilica of the Most Holy Annunciation, as well as his contribution to the realization of the Royal Palace.

The versatility and ingenuity of Vanvitelli's art.

Luigi Vanvitelli was born on May 12, 1700, in Naples. His original name was Lodewijk van Wittel, the son of Neapolitan Anna Lorenzani and Dutch Vedutist painter Gaspar van Wittel, nicknamed Vanvitelli. So where did his stage name come from? When he was entrusted with work on the construction site of the Royal Palace by Duke Louis Francis de la Cerda, he began to be called Luigi.

A few years after his birth, the family moved to Rome where little Louis grew up under the imprint of a Capitoline education and the classical influences of the ancient capital. As he grew up, he worked alongside his father, learning many artistic techniques of the painting and more. It was in Rome, in fact, that at only 15 years old he was noticed by the great Baroque architect, Philip Juvarra, who welcomed him as his disciple after seeing the artistry and graphic talent of some of his drawings.

Testifying to this are lines written by Lyon Pascoli, who recounts thus:

"praised him highly, and showed that he was amazed that at a young age he was working as an expert. He urged him to persevere in the studies he had begun, telling him that he would make better fortune in these than in those of painting, because there were many painters then who practiced the art with fame, and rare were the architects."

He later became an assistant architect at St. Peter's in 1726. Already after a few years he began to work independently in Rome and Ancona, where he made his artistic contribution with several works including: the great Lazzaretto in Ancona, built on an artificial pentagonal island he had created, and the Gesù church; in Rome the impressive restoration of the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli and the Convent of the Augustinians as well as some other minor works such as the Vanvitelli Fountain erected near the port of Civitavecchia.

Criticized by many and appreciated by many others, his genius was noticed in 1751 by King Charles of Bourbon who called him back to Naples to commission an unparalleled work.

The Royal Palace of Caserta, the Vanvitellian masterpiece

King Charles of Bourbon wanted to have a grand palace built in Naples that could match the magnificence of the French Versailles and well represent his household. An idea with high pretensions, which was, fortunately, entrusted to Vanvitelli. The latter, without becoming discouraged, immediately moved to Caserta where, within a few years he organized the project, the construction site and lots of labor to follow his instructions.

The work at the Royal Palace of Caserta were completed in 1845, after Vanvitelli's death. His design, however, was carried out in its entirety. The Palace consists of two building bodies intersecting each other in the shape of a cross, with four large inner courtyards. The structure had more than a thousand rooms and bright windows framed by fluted pilasters.

The park where this magnificent palace stands, stretches instead for 3 kilometers, encompassing no less than 120 hectares. On a main axis run parallel two avenues interspersed with fountains and water features connecting a series of green spaces and groves such as the Forest of San Silvestro in the style of the Italian Garden, to the concealed space of the English Garden placed on the edge of the park. 

The Carolinian Aqueduct

Concurrently with the work on the Royal Palace of Caserta, Luigi Vanvitelli, began a long search for the springs that would make possible the priceless water games Of the monumental fountains that were part of the park's so-called "royal delights."

Given the geophysical conformation of the territory, however, Vanvitelli had to travel far from Caserta, until he reached the Valley of the Plain of Montesarchio, which stretches between Benevento and Avellino. It was here, in fact, that the artist found the Fizzo spring on Mount Taburno, which would make possible the water supply in the Caserta area through the construction of a aqueduct, inspired by ancient Roman structures.

The work on Vanvitelli's aqueduct, called the Carolino Aqueduct, in honor of the king who commissioned the work, began in 1753.

The structure was to carry water through a series of canals for as much as 38 kilometers to Caserta, where it would give rise to the park's various waterfalls. The work was completed in 1770 and enabled the construction of not only the San Leucio Complex, later commissioned from a pupil of Vanvitelli, but also the development of small businesses by the people, such as the many mills that sprang up along the route.

The Court Theater

In 1756, Vanvitelli devoted himself to the construction of another structure of the Royal Palace of Caserta, not included in his original design, the Court Theater, wanted by King Charles of Bourbon as a royal theater where the king and his guests could attend private theatrical performances. So it was that he commissioned Vanvitelli to build this theater, basing it, however, on the model of the San Carlo Theater of Naples. The horseshoe-shaped structure was necessary for good sound propagation from the stage to the spectators, while the five rows of boxes were decorated with ornaments reminiscent of the ruling house.

Vanvitelli's other works in and around Naples

The creation of the Caserta Royal Palace Complex gave Vanvitelli so much magnificence that he was commissioned to do countless other works throughout Italy, especially in Naples and surroundings.

The Basilica of the Most Holy Annunciation

After the original Angevin construction in the 13th century, the Basilica of the Most Holy Annunciation was almost razed to the ground by a fire in 1757. So the renovation work was entrusted to Luigi Vanvitelli. The artist managed to reuse the original spaces that resisted the devastating fire, such as the famous Carafa Chapel, resorting to the Neoclassical style, also taken up by his son Charles, who completed the work after his father's death.

The interior of the Basilica of the Most Holy Annunciation are defined by the Latin cross structure with a single nave and the lateral arrangement of six chapels interspersed with Corinthian columns placed by Charles. Crossing the nave and observing with a critical eye, the structural similarity of the Palatine Chapel In the Royal Palace of Caserta.

The Carolinian Forum

In 1757, the people of Naples decided to dedicate a large square in the center of Naples to the sovereign Charles of Bourbon. The widening of today's Piazza Dante, accessed then as now from Port'Alba, was called the Carolinian Forum, in honor of the king who had brought prosperity and beauty to Naples. The work could only be commissioned from the greatest architect of the time, Luigi Vanvitelli. Under his guidance, a large hemicycle of marble and piperno was built, in which twenty-six statues depicting the virtues of the great king were displayed.

The Church of St. Marcellinus and Festus

Monumental structure of Naples is the Church of St. Marcellinus and Festus, which stands in the heart of the historic center. The admirable interior decorations of the walls in carved wood and polychrome marble were designed by Luigi Vanvitelli in the 18th century who was commissioned to restore the structure of medieval origins. The architect is also credited with two chapels located in the church's transept and the view of the Oratory of the Holy Staircase.

The Vanvitellian Casina

The work of transforming the entire area surrounding the lake dates back to 1752. Fusaro, where today stands the Vanvitellian Casina. The work was executed by Luigi Vanvitelli, who made the place the royal hunting and fishing reserve at the behest of the new king Ferdinand IV of Bourbon. However, due to the sudden death of the architect, who was now old, the work was completed by his son Charles.

Vanvitelli's final years

Toward the end of his echoing existence, Luigi Vanvitelli devoted himself to making parts of Villa Campolieto in Caserta. By now weary, he then helped set the stage for the wedding of Ferdinand IV of Bourbon between 1766 and 1768. He later retired to Caserta, where he died in 1773 and where he is still buried at the Church of St. Francis of Paola.

A fundamental testimony that well describes to us the figure of Luigi Vanvitelli is the biography Life of the architect Luigi Vanvitelli, written by his grandson who was given his grandfather's name. The latter describes him thus, "Extremely industrious, and an indefatigable draughtsman, he brought together qualities often discordant, readiness of wit and suffering of study, vivacity of spirit and obstinacy of toil. In the midst of so many occupations and glory so rare, he was always humane, moderate, pleasant, discreet with workers, pitiful to the wretched, courteous to all. [...] Rare and imitable example of laudable honesty, sweet manners, clear of envy, affable and sincere by nature he was desired by all, and friends he had many."