Archbishops Palace (Naples)

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The Archbishops Palace is a building in Naples, Italy. It is the official residence of the Roman Catholic archbishop and cardinal of Naples (as of May, 2006--Crescenzio Cardinal Sepe). The building is located on the square largo Donna Regina one block north of the Cathedral of Naples directly across from the church of Donna Regina Nuova. Together, the cathedral and the Archbishops Palace form a vast, connected complex.

The original structure was built in 1389 at the wishes of cardinal Errico Capece Minutolo on the site of an old early Christian basilica. The building that one sees today, however, is largely the result of reconstruction and expansion of the premises under cardinal Ascanio Filomarino, completed in 1654. That reconstruction was most probably the work of architect Bonaventuri Presti. The expansion included the clearing of the area directly in front of the building to create a small open square between the Archbishops Palace and the church Donna Regina Nuova. The building is unusually long--rather than tall or deep--and is marked by three stone portals.