VILLA PIGNATELLI
The elegant façade of the entrance villa.
In the elegant residential area of Riviera di Chiaia, just off the promenade next to San Pasquale station on line 6 of the metro you can find Villa Pignatelli, a fine example of the Neo classical style of architecture.
The villa was built in 1826, by the architect Pietro Valente for Sir Ferdinand Richard Acton. Afterwards the villa was sold to the Rothschild family who lived here until 1860.
The last owners were Prince Diego Pignatelli Aragona Cortes and his family, who transformed the villa into a centre of Neapolitan life and culture. The family’s taste is reflected in the fabric of the villa with the addition of the imposing neo-doric colonnade of the facade and the English design of the gardens by the gardener Gugliemo Bechi, filled with an exquisite variety of elegant plants and flowers, such as camellias and magnolia trees.
The veranda colonnade from the inside.
The entrance to the building is located at the back of the villa through an elegant veranda porch.
On the ground floor there is the regal ballroom, the blue and green hall, the dining room which still contains the belongings of Pignatelli’s wife, princess Rosina. Noteworthy is the 18th and 19th century collection of European porcelain.
The Ballroom.
The Red Room.
The Dinning Room.
The decoration of the Pompeian room is a fine example of typical Neapolitan taste of aristocratic families of the time, where mythological scenes were created inspired by the discoveries of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
The Pompeian Room.
Details of the Pompeian Room.
One of my favourite rooms is the Blue room, an elegant reception room still complete with its original furniture. There you can admire some family portraits and old photographs of their private parties and famous guests. It is a fascinating example of life in the 18th century.
The Blue Room.
The studio.
In the gardens, there is access to the Carriage Museum, an impressive collection of European horse drawn carriages from the late 19th century donated by the Marchese Mario D’Alessandro di Civitanova.
Entrance to the Carriage Museum.
Carriages in the exhibition.
Today the Villa and its peaceful gardens house an elegant museum, a conference hall and a live music venue.
Riviera di Chiaia 200, 80121 Napoli NA
Tel: +39 081 761 2356
Free entry every first Sunday of the month.
Opening hours: 09.30 - 16.00
Closed on Tuesdays.
Nearest Metro station: Linea 6 - station SAN PASQUALE