Capodimonte park, Historical park museum in Naples, Italy
Capodimonte Park is a large wooded area in Naples with winding paths, gardens, and a palazzo set within its grounds. The site also houses several museums displaying artworks and religious objects from various collections.
A Bourbon king founded this site in the mid-1700s as a hunting reserve and royal residence. The palazzo was later used to house art collections that came from Rome.
The park's name comes from the Bourbon hunting reserve: pheasants were imported from Bohemia and deer, hares and rabbits roamed the woods. From 1816 Ferdinand I opened it twice a year, on religious feast days, so citizens could walk to the Capuchin hermitage at the wood's edge. The Porta di Mezzo gate, completed in 1736, still carries the role of main entrance.
The park has several entrances and ample parking near the main museum building. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes as the grounds include hills and long walking paths.
The fountain on the belvedere overlooking Naples was made between 1878 and 1900 by reusing statues that had stood along the park avenues, especially those from the Torre garden area. The palms seen across the lawns date from the same Savoy period, when oriental taste shaped the planting.
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