What to see in San Leucio, itinerary including the main attractions and monuments to visit, including Piazza della Seta, Palazzo Belvedere, the Bourbon Arch and the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie.
Tourist information
Fraction of the municipality of Caserta, San Leucio is located on the slopes of a hill, less than four kilometers from the center.
San Leucio was originally a Bourbon hunting lodge, characterized by luxuriant vegetation.
At the end of the 1700s, Ferdinand IV of Bourbon had walls built to delimit the area, as well as some houses to give a roof to the workers who cultivated these lands.
He also decided to restore the Belvedere to make it his own residence.
For the realization of all these works, he turned to the architect Collecini, an esteemed Vanvitelian professional.
Following all the works carried out, the town of San Leucio was born, having an urban layout that took its cue from the new principles of equality that were rapidly spreading in the society of that time.
The city, developed around the silk square in a very rational way, became the seat of a very flourishing silk factory, thanks to the quality of the product that made San Leucio acquire a great reputation throughout Europe.
What see
The Belvedere of San Leucio, a palace and monumental complex wanted by Charles of Bourbon king of Naples and Sicily, is considered by UNESCO, together with the Royal Palace of Caserta and the Vanvitelli Aqueduct, a World Heritage Site.
In the hunting lodge you can admire the frescoes by Fedele Fischetti, inspired by the myth of Bacchus and Ariadne, as well as the large marble basin of Mondragone, placed in the center of a room decorated with subjects of classical antiquity.
The fountain with tritons and dolphins was built by the artist Solari in 1794.
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The Bourbon Arch is the gateway to the Monumental Complex of the Belvedere of San Leucio, dating back to 1600 when it was the entrance to the feudal property of the Acquaviva Princes, who were the lords of Caserta of the time.
On the top of the arch, thirteen meters high, there is the Bourbon coat of arms with two stone lions on the sides made by the sculptor Angelo Brunelli.
The Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, commissioned by King Ferdinand IV, was built by Francesco Collecini, a pupil of Vanvitelli.
The materials used are the yellow tuff of Monte Fiorillo for the exteriors, the Mondragone marble and the cypress wood for the interiors, as well as silver, bronze and porcelain for the interior furnishings.
In the church there are works by Cosimo de Focatiis, Raffaele Mattioli and Pietro Saja.
