National Museum of Ceramics, Naples
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| Established | 1927 |
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| Location | Naples |
| Coordinates | 40°50′22″N 14°13′48″E / 40.8395°N 14.2300°ECoordinates: 40°50′22″N 14°13′48″E / 40.8395°N 14.2300°E |
| Type | Ceramics |
| Visitors | 20661 |
| Director | Luisa Ambrosio |
| Website | www |
The National Museum of Ceramics Duca Di Martina (Museo Nazionale della Ceramic duca de Martins) is a historical and artistic site situated inside of the Villa Floridiana Park (Parco di Villa Floridiana) in Naples, Italy. The building used to be one of Campania’s Bourbon royal residences and since 1927 this residence has hosted the museum.
In 1815, Ferdinand IV of Bourbon bought for his wife Lucia Migliaccio, duchess of Floridia, the mansion of the Prince Giuseppe Caracciolo di Torella on the hill of Vomero. In her honour the villa was called after her Flordiana.
Over time, the King bought more land around the original mansion and the architect Antonio Niccolini was given the privilege of restoring the old structure. Between 1817 and 1819 the villa got its neoclassical style, while the gardens were remodelled by the director of the Botanical Gardens of Naples, Mr Friedrich Dehnardt. The park was embellished with 150 plant species, among which you can find pine trees, plane trees and a rich collection of camellias.
By the end of the restoration project, the Villa Floridiana comprised two buildings, Villa Lucia and villa Florìdia, a small open theatre, a little Ionic semi-circular temple, fake ruins and greenhouses in neoclassical style.
When the sovereigns died, the Villa Floridiana passed on to the heirs of the Duchess’ first marriage. Later, Villa Lucia and part of the gardens were sold to Count Pasquale Stanislao Mancini, thus becoming his residence in Naples.
In 1919, the Floridiana was bought by the state and was transformed into a museum. The first exhibition was the ceramics collection received from Maria Spinelli di Scalea, niece of Placido Sangro, Duca di Martina. So, the Museum was named after him. Placido di Sangro, comes from the Neapolitan noble family “Di sanguine”, resident in “sedile di Nilo”, but having land also in Aquila, Benevento, Lucera e Troia. Placido di Sangro lived during XVI century and worked as an ambassador for Charles V. He was a scholar and got appointed “Prince” of the Academy of Sireni or Sereni attended by distinguished aristocrats of the time.
Placido di Sangro was received by Emperor Charles V, as Ambassador of Neapolitans. After the interview, the emperor, fearing to lose the Kingdom of Naples for the multiplication of riots that caused quite a few losses in the Spanish Army, proclaimed a pardon for rebels and decided that in Naples there would be no Inquisition.
The Kingdom of Naples became a happy and safe place for the people persecuted by the Inquisition of the Church. As a consequence, the family of Eleonora de Fonseca Pimentel, who had escaped from Portugal and Rome, moved to Naples to be free from religious persecution. The rich collection of items, collected during the second half of the 19th century by Placido de Sangro, duke of Martina and given to the city of Naples in 1911 by his grandson, the earl of Marsi Placido de Sangro, well reflects the climate of enthusiasm and of renewed interest in the so-called minor arts, which spread over Europe at that time.
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Wikipedia