Palazzo della Prefettura, Naples, Neoclassical government building in Naples, Italy.

The Palazzo della Prefettura, also called Palazzo della Foresteria, faces the Royal Palace across Piazza del Plebiscito. Its main facade has a rusticated base with a mezzanine and shops, a piperno portal flanked by pairs of Tuscan semicolumns, and a giant order above, centred under a pediment. A smaller portal opens onto Via Chiaia, and the Caffè Gambrinus entrance is on Piazza Trieste e Trento.

The palace, first called Palazzo della Foresteria, was built in 1815 by the Neoclassical architect Leopoldo Laperuta on the site of the 14th-century convent of Santo Spirito, founded in 1326 by Basilian monks. Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies commissioned it as a guest house for visitors to the Bourbon court, following a competition for the overall layout of the piazza. Its twin across the square was designed with Antonio De Simone.

The ground floor of the palace has housed Caffè Gambrinus since 1890, when Antonio Curri designed its interiors with 43 sculptors and painters. The café became a meeting point for Neapolitan artists and writers, and its entrance opens onto Piazza Trieste e Trento. The building is still the seat of the local prefecture.

The building is visible from the outside at all times but located in a central Naples area where access is restricted on most days. Plan to view it from the street or check ahead about occasional open days for public tours.

The structure adheres to strict mathematical ratios that define neoclassical architecture, making every detail intentionally calculated. This precision in design sets it apart from the more irregular buildings that preceded it in the city.