Capodimonte Museum, Naples

History of Capodimonte

King Charles of Bourbon inherited his mother's vast Farnese picture collection and decided to build a palace for it. In 1738 work began on the hill of Capodimonte, 'top of the mountain', on a building that doubled as a hunting lodge, with a royal wood laid out around it for hunting and walks.

Nearby the king founded a porcelain factory, and 'Capodimonte' still means fine Neapolitan porcelain. Since 1957 the palace has housed a national museum, showing Neapolitan painting, the royal apartments and contemporary art alongside the Farnese collection.

The key paintings

The first floor holds the Farnese collection: Titian's portraits of Pope Paul III and his Danaë, works by Raphael, and Parmigianino's enigmatic Antea, a portrait of a young woman that has become the museum's emblem. Here too are Pieter Bruegel the Elder's Parable of the Blind and Masaccio's Crucifixion.

The second floor covers Neapolitan painting, from Simone Martini's Gothic St Louis of Toulouse to a large canvas Caravaggio painted in Naples and the masters of Neapolitan Baroque. The rooms are bright and spacious, the crowds thin, and you can look at the paintings in peace.

What to see at Capodimonte

• Parmigianino's Antea — the museum's emblem.
• Titian — Danaë and the Paul III portraits.
• Bruegel's Parable of the Blind — one of his best-known works.
• Caravaggio — a canvas from his Naples years.
• The porcelain room — a room of porcelain for the queen.
• The royal apartments — ballroom and drawing rooms.
• The Royal Wood — avenues, lawns and bay views.

The porcelain room and apartments

A special jewel is Queen Maria Amalia's porcelain room, a small chamber whose walls and ceiling are entirely covered with porcelain panels of Chinese scenes, flowers and garlands. It was made at the royal factory in the 18th century and later moved here from another palace.

The state rooms include a chandeliered ballroom, drawing rooms with furniture and tapestries, and a large collection of porcelain from Capodimonte and other European factories. Children tend to enjoy the porcelain figures and the huge rooms where they can move about without crowds.

Tips for your visit

Capodimonte lies off the main tourist trail, so there are hardly any queues. It pairs best with the Archaeological Museum: the two are on one axis, linked by bus. The museum closes on Wednesdays.

Allow about two hours for the gallery and another for the park. There's a café inside, and benches and lawns outside. The terrace in front of the palace looks over the whole city and bay, at its loveliest towards evening.

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National Archaeological Museum of Naples

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Cappella Sansevero

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How to do it right

• Closed Wednesdays.
• The park is free.
• Hardly any queues.
• Pair it with the Archaeological Museum.

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