Caserma Nino Bixio, Military architectural ensemble on Pizzofalcone hill, Naples, Italy
Caserma Nino Bixio, also called Gran Quartiere di Pizzofalcone, is a barracks at the top of Via Monte di Dio in Naples. Its plan is almost square, with an internal portico running along all four sides of the courtyard. On the outside, a portico runs along the two sides facing the Gulf of Naples. The main entrance was moved to Via Monte di Dio in the early 19th century, after the demolition of the remains of the 16th-century church of Monte di Dio.
The barracks was built between 1667 and 1670 during the tenure of Viceroy Pedro Antonio de Aragón and replaced gardens that previously occupied the site. Construction took place to provide improved housing for the Spanish garrison stationed in Naples.
The complex continues to serve military purposes and houses the Military Archive of Naples, which collects and preserves regional military records. This makes it an important repository for understanding the area's military past.
The barracks sit at the top of Via Monte di Dio and can be reached by public transportation or by taking a lift from Piazza Santa Maria degli Angeli. The lift provides a convenient way to avoid the steep climb up the hill.
The barracks sit on the exact location where Parthenope, the predecessor settlement of Naples, was established in the 8th century BC. This geographical continuity connects the site to the earliest origins of the city.
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