CASERTA, kfl-siVtii. An episcopal city in south Italy. capital of the Province of Caserta. and a military centre (Map: Italy. J (I). It is 21 miles north of Naples, of which it might be called the Versailles or the Potsdam. The an cient town (Caserta Vecchia), founded in the Eighth Century by the Lombards, is on the slope of a hill and contains several deserted palaces and the 'Fwelfth.Century Church of San .Nlieliele; the modern town (Caserta Nuova) is on lower ground. Opposite the railway station is the famous brit now unoccupied royal palace. built by Charles 111. and designed by to whom, in 1S70. a marble statue was erected by Onofrio Buccini. This magnificent edifice, the construetion of which was begun in 1752. forms with its four courts a huge rectangle. whose south side is 8:10 feet long and 131 tea high. and has 37 windows in each story. 'Through the middle of the rectangle runs a splendid 511 feet long, from the cen tre of which rise-, the beautiful marble stairway with 11ui steps. The chapel of the palace is richly decorated in marble, imitation lapis lazuli. and gold. and contains the "Presentation
in the by _Meng., an altar-piece by Bonito, and live paintings IT Conca. The theatre of the palace has 41) boxes and 12 Corinthian columns of African marble from the palace of Serapis at. Pozzuoli. Surrounding the rect angle :tre gardens laid out in the English fashion and containing splendid waterfalls. foun tains. statues. and hedges. Water for the gar den is brought 26 miles from Talnirmi by an aqueduct which crosses the Val. lev on a daringly constructed bridge, 1700 feet. lung and 190 feet high. In the botanical gardens trees from the colder north have been success fully aeclimated. In San Lencio. 2 miles north of the railway station. are a royal -ilk-spinning establishment and linen and tapestry weaving fat!• tories. In 1860 Caserta was the head(marters of Garibaldi and his army. The Province of Caserta is the ancient Campania Felix. Population, in ISSI, 31.1)00: in 1901, 33,000.