The Palazzo Cellamare or Cellammare is a monumental palace located in via Chiaia 139 in the Quartiere San Ferdinando of

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

, Italy. The entrance is near the church of

Santa Caterina a Chiaia Santa Caterina a Chiaia (also known as ''Santa Caterina martire'') is a Roman Catholic church located on via Santa Caterina 76 in Naples, Italy. It is located near Piazza dei Martiri in the Chiaia section of the city, near where Via Santa Cateri ...

History

The palace was erected in the 16th century by Giovanni Francesco Carafa, Prince of Stigliano and a member of the

House of Carafa The House of Carafa or Caraffa is the name of an old and influential Neapolitan aristocratic family of Italian nobles, clergy, and men of arts, known from the 12th century. History The House of Carafa is a cadet branch of the noble House of C ...

. Giovanni Francesco's son

Pier Luigi Carafa Pier Luigi Carafa (Senior) (18 July 1581, Naples, Italy – 15 February 1655, Rome, during the conclave) was a cardinal of the Catholic Church, and a member of the Roman Curia.Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in Engla ...

later commissioned

Ferdinando Manlio Ferdinando Manlio (died in 1570) was an Italian sculptor, architect and urban planner of the Renaissance, active in Naples. He trained under the sculptor Giovanni da Nola. From 1540, he led the rebuilding of the Basilica of the Santissima Annu ...

to make the palace conform to the typical characteristics of its era. During the

Masaniello Masaniello (, ; an abbreviation of Tommaso Aniello; 29 June 1620 – 16 July 1647) was an Italian fisherman who became leader of the 1647 revolt against the rule of Habsburg Spain in the Kingdom of Naples. Name and place of birth Until recent ...

revolt in 1647, the palace was sacked by mobs and in 1689 it became the property of the state. In the 18th century, it was acquired by the Prince of Cellamare, Antonio del Giudice, who hired

Ferdinando Fuga Ferdinando Fuga (11 November 1699 – 7 February 1782) was an Italian architect who was born in Florence, and is known for his work in Rome and Naples. Much of his early work was in Rome, notably, the Palazzo della Consulta (1732–7) at the Quiri ...

to design the chapel between 1726 and 1727. It later became the residence of the Spanish

Michele Imperiali Simeana, Prince of Montena and Francavilla Michele Imperiali Simeana, Prince of Montena and Francavilla (before 1736–1782) was a Spanish grandee and collector of classical sculpture, who also acted as major domo to the King of Naples and was a Knight of the Golden Fleece from 1770 onwards. ...

(d. 1782), a friend of

Casanova Giacomo Girolamo Casanova (, ; 2 April 1725 – 4 June 1798) was an Italian adventurer and author from the Republic of Venice. His autobiography, (''Story of My Life''), is regarded as one of the most authentic sources of information about the c ...

, and avid collector of statuary. The palace was briefly known as the ''Palazzo Francavilla''. Further reconstructions were entrusted to the architect

Francesco Antonio Picchiatti Francesco Antonio Picchiatti (10 January 1619, Ferrara – 28 August 1694, Naples) was an Italian architect of the Baroque period active in Naples. He is also called Picchetto. He was son of Bartolommeo Picchiatti, who also served as an architect ...

. The palazzo contains ceiling frescoes by Giacomo del Po,

Pietro Bardellino Pietro Bardellino (1728–1806) was an Italian painter. He lived his life aiming to be the ‘perfect man’. Biography Bardellino was born in Naples, and was initially trained by Francesco de Mura. In 1773 he became director of the ''Accademia Na ...

Giacinto Diano Giacinto Diano or Diana (28 March 1731 – 13 August 1803) was an Italian painter, active in Southern Italy in a style that mixes Rococo and Neoclassicism. Life Giacinto was born in Pozzuoli, and died in Naples. He trained in the studio of Franc ...

, and

Fedele Fischetti Fedele Fischetti (30 March 1732 – 25 January 1792) was an Italian painter of the Neoclassical period. He was born and died in Naples the capital of the Kingdom of Naples. Biography F. Fischetti was mainly active as a fresco painter for pa ...

. Little remains of the once sprawling gardens.

References

{{Coord, 40.8361, N, 14.2422, E, source:wikidata, display=title

Cellamare Cellamare is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Bari, in Apulia, in southern Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the midd ...

16th-century establishments in Italy