Palace of Capodimonte

The Palace of Capodimonte is a large mid 18th century Bourbon royal palace on a hill in Naples that now houses the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte, a major art museum and royal park. It was created as a royal residence and repository for the Bourbon collections.

The museum presents an extensive picture collection assembled by the Bourbon court with works by major Renaissance and Baroque artists and displays of decorative arts and historic apartments. The surrounding Bosco di Capodimonte is a large wooded park with formal avenues and viewpoints over Naples and the Bay of Naples.

Commissioned in the 1730s by Charles of Bourbon as a rural royal residence and repository for royal collections, the palace later served various institutional roles and was converted into a national museum to display the historic collections. The park and palace ensemble retains its royal-era layout and many original interiors.

The complex sits on the Capodimonte hill above central Naples in Campania, providing a green, elevated site within the city and views across the urban area toward the bay.

• Origins and collection: The palace was commissioned in the mid 18th century by Charles of Bourbon and later became a national museum housing Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces.
• Setting and access: The site sits on a hill above central Naples and is reached by urban transport; the park offers quieter green space with views across the city and bay.

What to See #

• Capodimonte Museum: The museum complex displays the Capodimonte collection, including paintings, decorative arts and princely apartments that trace the Bourbon royal collections assembled in Naples.
• Bosco di Capodimonte: The extensive royal park and woodland known as the Bosco di Capodimonte surrounds the palace and provides formal avenues, gardens and panoramic views over Naples.