The Riding School in the Royal Palace of Naples: Transformations ...

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In conclusion, the building of the riding school ought to be inserted between those works made probably in 1760, intended to configure the new inner square following a homogeneous formal criterion, with the boundary buildings, the riding school and the portico, recalling in the prospects the decorative pattern of the new arm of the Palace. In any case the riding school probably already existed in 1771, when Ferdinando Fuga (1699-1781) built the confining edifice to house the new porcelains factory for King Ferdinando IV. This last building, which closes the inner square on the north side, was configured with the same pattern of arches and pilasters, and will be transformed in saddlery during the decade of French occupation (ASN F375), (D’Arbitrio 2003). The riding school and all the buildings quoted above were demolished, during a global renovation of the Royal Palace, which took place after a big fire in 1837. Starting from 1842, in their place, an English garden was created. While the porcelains factory was already demolished in 1843, to give way to a new terrace beside the new garden, the riding school was only eliminated in 1845. THE UNPUBLISHED DOCUMENT OF NICCOLINI The document held in the Historical archive of the City of Naples (ASN Busta n. 2154) is dated 4 February 1824 and is entitled “Measure and evaluation of the different works made by the contractor Mr. Antonio Scaramuzzino on commission of Domenico Barbaja in the attic of the Royal Riding School under the supervision of the architect of the Royal House Sir Antonio Niccolini” (fig.4). Barbaja was the manager of the St. Charles Theatre in the first half of nineteenth century and the fame of the theatre in this period was due to him, so that Alessandro Dumas defined him the “prince of managers”. Attached to the document there are two plates: “Demonstration of the demolished roof of the covered Royal Riding School” and “Demonstration of the new roof of the covered Royal Riding School, under whose trusses has been realized a new space to be used by the Royal St. Charles Theatre to keep the machines and the scenes of the theatre”, the second of which is autographed by Niccolini. Another drawing of the new covering structure, autographed by Niccolini as well, is held in the National Library of Naples (Fondo Palatina, Banc. I 19 10 ). The studied document is composed of two parts. The first one is a detailed estimative metrical evaluation of the works needed for dismantling the existing covering system of the riding school, and the re-building of the new one, including all those necessary to connect the attic of the riding school to the open gallery covering the foyer of the contiguous theatre. At the end of 129 pages there is the signature of the architect Pasquale Brunetti, as author of the measures verification and economical quantification. The total amount of the described works is 16 614.36 ducats and is confirmed by the signature of Niccolini, with an accompanying statement of finished works. 604
Figure 4. Front page of the document Then a letter follows sent by Niccolini to the Minister of Internal Affairs, explaining the reasons for the considerable increase of charge, as requested by the Minister himself. Niccolini gives many justifications for the larger expense: - the fir wood employed, coming from Tuscany, has been carried in the harbour of Livorno without using the more cheaper fluvial transportation on Arno River, due to the lasting period of drought; 605
Page 1 and 2: The Riding School in the Royal Pala
Page 3 and 4: equired staff: pageboys, coachmen,
Page 5: Figure 2. Model of Naples Royal Pal
Page 9 and 10: Measures of weight, also used to qu
Page 11 and 12: The clear span is the same of that
Page 13 and 14: An evident element thought to stren
Page 15 and 16: As just described, the structure is
Page 17 and 18: Figure 12. Bending moments diagram
Page 19 and 20: Both the calculation schemes analyz

The Riding School in the Royal Palace of Naples: Transformations ...

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