Plebiscito Square

Piazza del Plebiscito, located in the heart of Naples, is one of the most iconic and historically significant places in the city. This vast square of 25,000 square meters represents a crossroads of history, art, and culture, and has been the scene of numerous historical events that have marked the city. The square is named after the plebiscite of 1860 which sanctioned the annexation of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies to the Kingdom of Italy under the House of Savoy. However, its origins date back much earlier, when in 1543 Don Pedro de Toledo, the Spanish viceroy, ordered the construction of a vast open space in front of the Royal Palace. This project was further developed in the 17th century by the architect Domenico Fontana, who designed the Royal Palace, making the site the center of political and administrative power. One of the most important buildings overlooking the square is the Royal Palace of Naples. Built in the 17th century, the palace was the residence of the Spanish viceroys, the Bourbons, and, after the unification of Italy, the princes of the House of Savoy. Today, the Royal Palace houses a museum and the National Library of Naples, one of the most important in Italy. The statues of the kings of Naples, adorning the facade of the palace, offer a visual narrative of the city’s history, from the Norman king Roger II to Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoy. Facing the Royal Palace is the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola, a magnificent example of neoclassical architecture inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. The basilica was built in the 19th century at the behest of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies, after the expulsion of Joachim Murat, Napoleon’s brother-in-law. The church, with its majestic dome and semicircular colonnade, is one of the most important places of worship in Naples and often hosts weddings and religious celebrations. The square is bordered by two other important buildings: the Prefecture Palace and the Salerno Palace. The Prefecture Palace, also known as the Foresteria Palace, was built in the 19th century on the ruins of a former Dominican monastery and now houses administrative offices. The Salerno Palace, on the other hand, was built at the end of the 18th century and is currently the headquarters of the Interregional South Defense Force Command. A fascinating element of Piazza del Plebiscito is represented by the two equestrian statues of Charles III of Bourbon and his son Ferdinand I, located in the center of the square. The statue of Charles III was entirely created by Antonio Canova, one of the greatest neoclassical sculptors, while that of Ferdinand I was completed by Canova’s student, Antonio Calì, after the master’s death. These statues celebrate the return of the Bourbon dynasty after the Napoleonic period.