Art and nature in a lost garden: the Park of the Caracciolo Princes in Avellino

In the years between the 16th and 17th centuries, Prince Camillo Caracciolo, through a series of purchases of private lands, significantly expanded the already extended landholdings of his family in the area adjacent to the castle of Avellino. Right in this extensive green area developed in large part on the slope of a hill emblematically called Belvedere, the aforementioned Prince made a magnificent and grandiose useful Park for hunting and leisure. The different heights determined the division of the Park into two distinct parts; the bottom one, closest to the castle, was embellished with a decorative wise use of water. In addition to some fishponds, an artificial lake and artistic fountains, stood out, above all, a very special element: a cave housing a nymphaeum decorated with stuccoes, sponges and sculptures. Several sources describe this garden as a marvel known throughout the kingdom both for its refinement and for its botanical variety and there are numerous testimonies of famous visitors who stayed in town just to see in person the much-