Belvedere di San Leucio, Royal palace in San Leucio, Caserta, Italy.
The Belvedere di San Leucio is a palace complex near Caserta that combines royal living spaces with a restored silk manufacturing facility. The site contains nine functioning handlooms, two wooden spinning machines powered by an underground waterwheel, and multiple garden terraces.
The palace was founded in 1773 by King Ferdinand IV of Bourbon as a center combining royal residence with silk weaving crafts. The royal initiative led to the construction of workshops and housing for skilled workers on the same grounds.
The royal rooms display silk decorations and wall paintings that reflect the wealth of the former silk production. Visitors can still see the craftsmanship tradition today in the ornaments and furnishings throughout the space.
The site spreads across multiple levels with garden terraces and is accessible on foot, with comfortable shoes recommended. Guided tours are available through the workshops and living areas to help visitors understand how the facility was organized.
The factory was organized in a revolutionary way, providing workers with housing, free education, and shorter working hours than was typical in other European factories. This made it an unusual example of worker welfare in the 1700s.
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