After closing in the nineties for renovations, Naples' Filangieri Museum, founded in 1888 to hold the personal collection of Gaetano Filangieri, has finally reopened to visitors.
The museum is best known for its setting: the 15th-century Palazzo Como, inspired by the Florentine Renaissance architectural style.
Inside, like the insignia on a modern baseball cap or Fendi wallet, the symbol, a nested 'G' and 'F' (Gaetano Filangieri's initials), is stenciled at regular intervals along the walls in contrasting red and blue, evidence of the extensive work done on the building to honour Gaetano's memory and collection.
Prince Filangieri of Arianiello was a lawyer, scholar and philosopher with a great interest in ancient antiquities. His personal art collection includes not only fine art, but a vast array of weapons, china, miniatures and precious materials such as ivory, ancient glass, and coral.
Though the collection was damaged and looted during World War II, other private collectors donated their pieces to round out the remaining collection, including Domenico de Luca Montalto's Villa Livia liberty-style complex, complete with all period furnishings and art in tact, which is also part of the museum.
Museo Filangieri
via Duomo 288
Napoli
Phone 081 203175
Email: infomuseofilangieri@gmail.com museofilangieri@libero.it
Website: http://filangieri.napolibeniculturali.it
At the moment the museum is only opened during the week-end and booking is required:
Fri - Sat: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Sun: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
