Royal Palace of Portici

Royal Palace of Portici
Reggia di Portici
Royal Palace of Portici façade
Alternative namesPalazzo Reale di Portici
General information
Statusnow used as Faculty of Agriculture of University of Naples Federico II, museum and Botanic Garden
TypePalace
Architectural styleItalian Baroque
LocationPortici, Naples Italy
AddressVia Università 100, 80055
Current tenantsUniversity of Naples Federico II
Construction started1738
Completed1742
ClientCharles III of Spain
Technical details
Floor count3
Design and construction
Architect(s)Giovanni Antonio Medrano, Antonio Canevari, Giuseppe Bonito and Joseph Canart
Website
Official website (in Italian)
Error: Invalid designation
Official nameReggia di Portici
TypeNon-movable
CriteriaMonument
State PartyItaly

The Royal Palace of Portici (Reggia di Portici or Palazzo Reale di Portici; Neapolitan: Reggia ‘e Puortece) is a former royal palace in Portici, Southeast of Naples along the coast, in the region of Campania, Italy. It now contains a museum complex (Musei della Reggia di Portici) which includes the royal apartments, the Herculanense Museum, the frescoed antechambers, the Chinese Room, the historical library, and the Orto Botanico di Portici, a botanical garden operated by the University of Naples Federico II. These gardens were once part of the large royal estate that included an English garden, a zoo and formal parterres.

It is located just a few metres from the Roman ruins of Herculaneum and was the seat of the Accademia Ercolanese, established in 1758 by Charles VII of Naples (Charles III of Spain), which originally contained a collection of objects from the archaeological excavations at Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Stabiae, and housed restoration activities. The modern Herculanense Museum is a multimedia interpretation into the original museum.