Palazzo Cirella, late 18th-century palace on Via Toledo, Naples, Italy
Palazzo Cirella stands at via Toledo 228 in Naples, built in the last quarter of the 18th century on the site of the former college of San Francesco Saverio. Its courtyard has a backdrop inspired by Luigi Vanvitelli, with a niche holding a late-Mannerist sculpture and a grand staircase. It is now a residential building.
Palazzo Cirella replaced the Jesuit college of San Francesco Saverio after the Jesuits were expelled from the Kingdom of Naples in 1767, so it dates to the last quarter of the 18th century. It belonged to the Catalano Gonzaga family, dukes of Cirella. In 1848 revolutionaries raised barricades in front of it; the liberal-minded owners took part in the uprising and the duke's brother was condemned to death in absentia.
The name comes from the Catalano Gonzaga family, who held the noble title of Dukes of Cirella. In 1848 the palace's owners, of liberal views, took part in the uprising against the Bourbons, and the duke's brother was condemned to death in absentia. The building is now a residential block.
The building sits in a central part of Naples with good access by public transportation. The Toledo metro station and several bus lines are within walking distance, making it easy to explore the surrounding area.
The palace replaced the Jesuit college of San Francesco Saverio after the Jesuits were expelled from the Kingdom of Naples in 1767, which places its construction in the last quarter of the 18th century. The liberal duke's brother was condemned to death in absentia for his part in the 1848 revolts.
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