Panoramic view of a formal section of the Park of the Royal Palace of Caserta.

Tour the Royal Park and Gardens

The park and gardens of Caserta were an integral part of the palace design presented by the architect Luigi Vanvitelli to the sovereigns. It was inspired by the gardens of the great European residences of the time, fusing the Italian tradition of the Renaissance garden with the solutions introduced by André Le Nôtre in Versailles and the naturalistic designs of English gardens.

Fontana dei Delfini (Dolphin fountain) and series of cascades, fountains, and basins that extend up the mountain. – © Reggia di Caserta

Venus Bath at the English Garden. – © Mariano De Angelis

Luigi Vanvitelli (1700-1773), aerial view of the Royal Palace and Park of Caserta, 1756. ETH-Bibliothek Zürich, RAR 933 GF, http://dx.doi.org/10.3931/e-rara-7437 – Public Domain

Fontana dei Delfini (Dolphin fountain). Construction of the gardens began in 1753, the same year that the Carolino aqueduct was built, which redirects water from the slopes of Mount Taburno to supply the fountains of the royal gardens and irrigate their plants. – © Mariano De Angelis

The great scale of the gardens at Caserta is one of the first things visitors notice. A chain of fountains and basins stretch out for more than three kilometres from the palace to a waterfall in the forest. – © Francesco Cimmino

Fontana dei Delfini (Dolphin fountain) and series of cascades, fountains, and basins that extend up the mountain. – © Reggia di Caserta

Construction of the park, including delimiting the different sections and planting of the first plants began in 1753, simultaneously with the construction of the Carolino Aqueduct, whose waters from the slopes of Mount Taburno, would have fed the fountains of the royal gardens.

The Park—over 3 kilometres (2 miles) long and encompassing an area of 120 hectares (300 acres) comprises two main gardens; an Italian-style baroque garden with an artificial lake, grottoes, and tiny fortress—and an English garden, designed by landscape architect John Graeffer in the 1780's, with rare botanical species, ponds, creeks, and an ensemble of “Romantic ruins”.

The formal garden, as seen today, is only a partial realisation of what Luigi Vanvitelli conceived. At his death, in 1773, the aqueduct had been completed but no fountain had yet been built. The works were completed by his son Carlo, who, although simplifying his father's project, was faithful to it, preserving the compositional rhythm and layout of fountains, water basins, meadows and waterfalls.

The gardens around the Castelluccia (small fortress) that served as a military training area for the princes. – © Reggia di Caserta

The park starts from the back facade of the palace, flanking a very long straight canal with fountains and cascades. The fountains and cascades, each fill a vasca (basin), with architecture and hydraulics by Luigi Vanvitelli at intervals along a wide straight canal that runs to the horizon. The gardens are filled with many sculptures of figures and theatrical scenes from classical Antiquity.

Visitors can enjoy the park and gardens in many different ways including walking, jogging, biking, by horse carriages, and segway.