Palazzo de’ Liguoro of Presicce

In the authentic heart of the Rione Sanità, along the lively artery of Via Arena della Sanità in the ancient Borgo dei Vergini, hides a building that perfectly embodies the soul of great Neapolitan contrasts. Palazzo de' Liguoro di Presicce is a monumental jewel with 16th-century origins, transformed over time into a magnificent and sumptuous aristocratic residence.

Crossing its doorway means entering a courtyard where the highest architecture acts as a stage for popular life. Immediately catching the eye is the spectacular and dizzying "hawk-wing" (or pincer) monumental staircase, a triumph of piperno stone and sinuous forms of clear Sanfelician inspiration, which gently rises towards the piano nobile (noble floor). And it is precisely here that the palace guards its most intimate secrets: the ancient ballroom, flooded with light, is embellished with fascinating 18th-century trompe l'oeil frescoes attributed to the painter Antonio Maffei, alongside an extraordinarily rich library. Although the building is today largely divided into private residences, the efforts of the owning family and exceptional openings (such as those promoted by the FAI or during neighborhood tours) still allow travelers to admire this treasure: a magical place where the splendor of princes coexists with laundry hanging in the sun, reminding us that in Naples, beauty belongs first and foremost to the people.