Santa Maria Capua Vetere. The Campanian Amphitheater

2023

The Campanian Amphitheater or Capuano Amphitheater is a Roman amphitheater located in the city of Santa Maria Capua Vetere - coinciding with the ancient Capua - second in size only to the Colosseum in Rome. It is located within the municipal area of Santa Maria Capua Vetere, facing Piazza I Ottobre. A substantial part of its stones were used by the Capuans in the Norman era to erect the Castle of the Stones of the city of Capua; some of his ornamental busts, used in the past as keystones for the theater arches, were placed on the facade of the Town Hall of Capua.

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Casertavecchia, church of the Annunciation

Casertavecchia, the Cathedral

The church, dedicated to San Michele Arcangelo, stands in a medieval village of Lombard origin located on the top of a hill, at 401 meters on the slopes of the Tifatini Mountains. The town is a hilly hamlet located about 10 kilometers from the capital and is today called "Caserta vecchia" or Casertavecchia but in the Middle Ages simply "Caserta" (originally Casa Hirta) before the name passed to the center on the plain (previously called Torri, then Caserta new and finally Caserta). Casertavecchia was an important fortified center, the seat of a Lombard county, later Norman, and the seat of a diocese, after the destruction, in the early Middle Ages, of the ancient episcopal seat of Calatia (near the current Maddaloni).

Teano. Church of San Paride ad Fontem

The building of S. Paride is a church with a basilica structure with three naves, and termination with a semicircular apse. The facade, where it is possible to admire the building technique in tuff blocks arranged in regular rows, is characterized by the presence of two semi-columns in tuff on the sides of the portal, and a third in the right corner. The half-columns each rest on a pilaster, also in tuff. A fourth semi-column must have been present near the left corner, where there is still a Tuscan base still in tuff. These still retain the Corinthian capitals of reuse, also in local tuff. The entrance is rather simple, with a molded secmicircular frame supported by two shelves with inlaid motifs in plants. The marble frame still preserves the kyma lesbio decoration, followed by a curb with parallel lines and a second frame with denticles. The frame overlooks a lunette where traces of a fresco can no longer be read. The whole is surmounted by two mullioned windows. Internally, the naves are divided into six bays and separated by arches supported on each side by five quadrangular pillars. The light comes from the mullioned windows placed on the perimeter walls. A large opening, now flanked, also with a round arch, is visible along the left perimeter. The only piece of furniture is the so-called chair of S. Paride, made up of a reddish tuff block. The interior is rather simple, and still has a small crypt with burials in the crate.

Teano. The Cathedral. Apse

The cathedral, originally dedicated to San Terenziano, was later named after San Clemente. Construction began in 1050 by Bishop Guglielmo, to replace the old cathedral of San Paride ad Fontem, located outside the city walls. The works were completed in 1116 by Bishop Pandulfo. The building has a basilica structure divided into three naves by two rows of columns. In 1608 it was damaged internally by a fire that almost completely destroyed the cosmates ambo, subsequently recomposed using the remains of the previous one integrated with the marble slabs of a fourteenth-century sepulchral monument already present in the church and positioned on twisted columns, two of which rested on fountain lions. During the 16th century the Romanesque apse was modified and on that occasion a precious carved wooden choir was built in the presbytery, built in 1539 by the Benedictine Antonio Maria Sertorio. The choir underwent two restorations, the first in the 17th century and the second in 1957, following the damage suffered during the Second World War.

Teano. Church of S. Antonio Abate

Dating back to the 14th century, the Church is made up of a single rectangular nave and a semicircular apse, the latter frescoed with episodes from the life of the Saint.

Teano. Church of Santa Reparata

Caserta, the Royal Palace. The English Garden.

The Royal Palace of Caserta is a royal residence, historically belonging to the Bourbons of the Two Sicilies, located in Caserta. Commissioned by Charles of Bourbon, the laying of the first stone, which started the construction work, took place on January 20, 1752, based on a project by Luigi Vanvitelli: this was followed by his son Carlo and other architects. The palace was completed in 1845.

Teano. Church of San Michele Arcangelo

Teano. Church of Sant'Antonio Abate

Borgonuovo. Teano

Borgonuovo di Teano, Campania. Sanctuary of Maria Santissima della Libera

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