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The Royal Palace of Portici
An enchanting building. Summer residence of the royal Bourbon dynasty and later the centre of the Portici School of Agriculture.
Between the gentle slopes of the majestic Vesuvius and the picturesque shore of the little harbour of Granatello, the royal couple, Carlo di Borbone (Charles of Bourbon) and Maria Amalia of Saxony, took the decision back in 1738 to build their sumptuous summer residence. For the creation of this Palace of Wonders, skilled engineers, architects and decorators were called upon, such as Medrano, Canevari, Vanvitelli, Fuga, Canart, Bonito, Re and Geri.
As time passed, the site of Portici revealed its fascinating buried history: with every excavation, ancient marvels sprang forcefully back into the light. The objects found, coming from the famous buried cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, were placed within the halls of the palace, giving life to one of the most renowned collections in the world and giving rise to the Herculanense Museum, inaugurated back in 1758 and destined to become an essential stop on the celebrated Grand Tour.

During the early years of the 19th century, the precious archaeological collections were moved to Naples, forming the fundamental core of what is now the National Archaeological Museum.
During the period of French rule, which lasted from 1806 to 1815, the palace underwent important restorations, with new and sumptuous decorative schemes and a setting worthy of the taste of the French Empire.
A moment of particular significance for the history of Portici was 3 October 1839, when the first Italian railway line, one of the first in Europe, was inaugurated, indissolubly linking Portici to Naples and opening new horizons for the town.
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