THE BEST NAPLES ARCHITECTURAL BUILDINGS 🏛️

PALAZZO FILOMARINO DELLA ROCCA   15th century

It is most recently well-known for having been the residence of the great Neapolitan historian and philosopher, Benedetto Croce. The original structure was built in the 1300s and was rebuilt and enlarged in the first decade of the 1500s. Subsequent modifications were added by the renowned architect Ferdinando Sanfelice in the 1700s when the building passed into the hands of Tommaso Filomarino della Rocca. He was responsible for the addition of a fine library, as well, keeping with the intellectual  tradition of the premises, which had in the past hosted no less a philosopher than Giovan Battista Vico. That tradition still survives, as the building currently houses the Italian Institute for Historical Studies founded by Croce.

The building is on a long street popularly known as "Spaccanapoli" (Naples-Splitter) in the historic center of the city . The section of the street where the building stands is, today, named via Benedetto Croce. 

Address : Via Benedetto Croce 12 - pics of palazzo filomarino 👇 

PALAZZO VENEZIA  15th century 

One feature of Neapolitan nomenclature (beside the fact that street names get changed every two or three days!) is that so many buildings are named for peoples from beyond Naples. There is a church “of the Spanish” and one “of the Genovese,” and there is a theater “of the Florentines.” (There is also a "church of the Italians"—strange story, that one!) Except for that last one, the reason behind the names is quite straightforward. Centuries ago, the kingdom of Naples not only maintained diplomatic relations with the various states in the northern part of the Italian peninsula, but carried on great amounts of trade with them. This resulted in sizable colonies, for example, of Genovese and Florentine businessmen and merchants in Naples. They had their own areas with their own churches and theaters, etc. One of best-known examples of this —but still not very well known, even among Neapolitans— is the building called Palazzo Venezia, located in the heart of the historic section of Naples at via Benedetto Croce 19.

The original premises were the property of the Sanseverino family, one of the most powerful feudal families in the Middle Ages in the Kingdom of Naples. They were involved, however, in disputes with central royal authority and the building was confiscated by King Ladislao and given to the Republic of Venice in 1412 as a residence for the Venetian consul in Naples. (The building was, in fact, called Palazzo San Marco for a while in honor of Venice). The premises originally included adjacent property on both sides—that is, on the east towards San Domenico Maggiore as well as on the west, now the Palazzo Filomarino (and Benedetto Croce’s residence for many years).

The premises of the Palazzo Venezia contain a number of plaques that indicate various dates of restoration and provide somewhat of a synthesis of the history of the building. There is one, for example, to indicate work done in 1610 by Geronimo Zono and another telling of work down to the courtyard in 1646 (shown below). After the large earthquake of 1688, extensive reconstruction was undertaken by Antonio Maria Vincenti; as well, there was another restoration of the building in 1737. A plaque from 1756 recalls the beginning of the fragmenting of the property as one bit of it goes to the adjacent Palazzo Filomarino. There are still ample archives extant that cover various periods in the history of the building. There are records of the very first Venetian consul in Naples, one Alvise Bonrizzo; and also documentation from the time of Andrea Rosso, who had to balance between Masaniello’s revolutionaries (who were intent on modeling their new Naples after the Republic of Venice!) and the ruling Spanish viceroys in 1647. 

PETRUS DULCIUS

PRO SER.ma REIP.ca NEAP.i

RESIDENS EIUSDEM IUSSU

PARTEM HANC

DOMUS DIRUTAM

ISTAURAVIT

AN.D.NI. 1646

It says: "Pietro Dolce, for the Most Serene Republic of Naples, on the order of the same, while residing here restored the part of this house that was destroyed. AD 1646.

These days the Palazzo Venezia serves as cultural venue for art shows, exhibitions, lectures and musical productions, generally focused on characteristically Neapolitan themes.

Address : Via Benedetto Croce, 19, 80134 Napoli NA - pics of palazzo Venezia  👇 

PALAZZO PETRUCCI 14th century

Palazzo Balzo, now called Palazzo Petrucci . Its origins are in the early 14th century as a residence of nobility connected with the move of the Angevin dynasty from Sicily to Naples. It passed into the hands of Petrucci in the mid-1400s. Petrucci enjoyed the favor of Ferrante, the Aragonese ruler of Naples, until he joined the so-called "Barons' revolt" of 1485. He was executed by decapitation. The building has changed hands many times since then, and the only real remnant of the 14th century seems to be the main portal. 

Address : P.za S. Domenico Maggiore, 33 - pics of palazzo Petrucci  👇