Corte Citadel, Corte, France - SpottingHistory.com

A small town in the heart of Corsica, Corte was the capital of the island (from 1755-1769 under Pasquale Paoli). Jutting out above the Tavignano and Restonica Rivers, and the cobbled alleyways of the Haute Ville, the citadel’s oldest part is the château – known as the Nid d’Aigle (Eagle’s Nest) – built in 1419. The 19th-century barracks now houses the tourist office and the Museu di a Corsica, a must-see for Corsica culture buffs. It’s a joint admission for the museum and citadel.

User Reviews

Brian Gavin (4 years ago)
Spacious, well laid out museum on several floors. The exhibits provide a comprehensive history of Corsica. You need to leave plenty of time for a visit if you want to read all of the detailed information for each exhibit. As with most museums there is probably more on display than can be absorbed on one visit. Don't miss the "Corsican Head" sculpture on the outside terrace on the first floor.

Mārtiņš Torsters (4 years ago)
A beautiful view available from inside, has good historical information about Île de beauté

Mark Dawson (4 years ago)
Excellent location integrated with the citadel and its fortifications. We enjoyed the underground experience and the history of Corse

Gulden Fried (4 years ago)
The concept and execution of this exhibition is wonderful. If you're not french I would highly recommend taking the audio guide for 1,50€ (I am german) because written information is only provided in french and corse and this guide opens the path to more information anyway! That's why i only give 4/5. But what we really liked was not only a wide range of provided knowledge (history, geography, geology, anthropology etc) but also access to the fort and an extended audio guide tour about architecture and the building as a whole as you walk up to the very top of the city!

James Harper (4 years ago)
Worth going in for the views from the citadel alone. The directional signage is available in English, but the exhibition signs are French and Italian only. Interesting enough though.

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Royal Palace of Naples

Royal Palace of Naples was one of the four residences near Naples used by the Bourbon Kings during their rule of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (1734-1860): the others were the palaces of Caserta, Capodimonte overlooking Naples, and the third Portici, on the slopes of Vesuvius.

Construction on the present building was begun in the 17th century by the architect Domenico Fontana. Intended to house the King Philip III of Spain on a visit never fulfilled to this part of his kingdom, instead it initially housed the Viceroy Fernando Ruiz de Castro, count of Lemos. By 1616, the facade had been completed, and by 1620, the interior was frescoed by Battistello Caracciolo, Giovanni Balducci, and Belisario Corenzio. The decoration of the Royal Chapel of Assumption was not completed until 1644 by Antonio Picchiatti.

In 1734, with the arrival of Charles III of Spain to Naples, the palace became the royal residence of the Bourbons. On the occasion of his marriage to Maria Amalia of Saxony in 1738, Francesco De Mura and Domenico Antonio Vaccaro helped remodel the interior. Further modernization took place under Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies. In 1768, on the occasion of his marriage to Maria Carolina of Austria, under the direction of Ferdinando Fuga, the great hall was rebuilt and the court theater added. During the second half of the 18th century, a 'new wing' was added, which in 1927 became the Vittorio Emanuele III National Library. By the 18th century, the royal residence was moved to Reggia of Caserta, as that inland town was more defensible from naval assault, as well as more distant from the often-rebellious populace of Naples.

During the Napoleonic occupation the palace was enriched by Joachim Murat and his wife, Caroline Bonaparte, with Neoclassic decorations and furnishings. However, a fire in 1837 damaged many rooms, and required restoration from 1838 to 1858 under the direction of Gaetano Genovese. Further additions of a Party Wing and a Belvedere were made in this period. At the corner of the palace with San Carlo Theatre, a new facade was created that obscured the viceroyal palace of Pedro de Toledo.

In 1922, it was decided to transfer here the contents of the National Library. The transfer of library collections was made by 1925.

The library suffered from bombing during World War II and the subsequent military occupation of the building caused serious damage. Today, the palace and adjacent grounds house the famous Teatro San Carlo, the smaller Teatrino di Corte (recently restored), the Biblioteca Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele III, a museum, and offices, including those of the regional tourist board.

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