Palazzo San Felice, Baroque palace in Rione Sanità, Naples, Italy
Palazzo San Felice is a baroque palace located in Rione Sanità with an interior design that surprises visitors with its complexity. At its heart lies an octagonal courtyard, from which a double ramp staircase with arches rises gracefully, shifting the spatial levels of the building as it ascends.
The palace was built between 1724 and 1726 as the debut architectural work of Ferdinando Sanfelice, launching his career in Naples. His innovative design approach became influential, inspiring subsequent baroque buildings throughout the city and shaping the architectural direction of his era.
Two stucco sirens carved at the main entrance symbolize the Sanfelice family connection to the building. These sculptural figures remain part of how visitors experience the palace's identity through its decorative language.
The building is located on Via Arena della Sanità in the Rione Sanità neighborhood and is accessible by foot from central Naples. It's best to visit during the morning hours when daylight illuminates the interior courtyards most effectively.
The seemingly plain exterior conceals an extraordinarily intricate interior design that fascinated architects of the time. This contrast between outer simplicity and inner sophistication became a reference point for subsequent palace designs across Naples.
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