Naples, Italy is widely credited as the birthplace of pizza. The humble creation is said to be originally concocted by the poor for the poor, until Queen Margherita of Savoy gave it the royal seal of approval after she visited Naples in 1887 and tried a few versions. One version was then renamed in her honour; at least, that’s what the legend says.
Perhaps what’s less known to the general public (existing at the far end of the wealth spectrum and far more indulgent than a slice of pizza) is the Reggia de Caserta. Modelled after the Palace of Versailles, the Reggia de Caserta was commissioned by Charles VII of Naples and began construction in 1752. It was such a massive undertaking that it took more than 50 years to be fully completed. But by then, Charles VII had already abdicated to become king of Spain and hence, never got to live in the palace.
With its five expansive floors and 1,200 rooms, the Reggia di Caserta is the world’s largest palace by volume. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was where the first two prequels of the Star Wars film franchise set the palace of the fictional planet of Naboo in. And for a day during the spring of 2019, the intricately constructed walls were the backdrop to Stefano Ricci’s spring/ summer 2020 collection.
This story is from the March 2020 edition of Esquire Singapore.
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This story is from the March 2020 edition of Esquire Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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