Standing five stories tall with an incredible 1,200 rooms, Reggia di Caserta, or the Royal Palace of Caserta, is the largest royal palace in the world by volume. Honored as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997, the palace was called “the swan song of the spectacular art of the Baroque” as part of its confirmation. A highlight of Italian Baroque architecture, the otherworldly interiors of the palace were utilized in two “Star Wars” films. The immensely sprawling property encompasses 300 acres with the palace’s floor area making up over half-a-million square feet. 
Designed by architect Luigi Vanvitelli, the palace is a large rectangular plan with four orthogonal arms which create four inner courtyards. A vaulted arcade connects three octagonal vestibules that lead to the four courtyards. The palace’s lengthy, two-toned Neoclassical façade is a restrained counterpart to the decadently decorated rooms inside; 40 monumental rooms were built to host royalty and their guests for various occasions. These magnificent rooms are covered with eye-catching Baroque ornamentation and a myriad of artistic details from floor to ceiling. 
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