The secret in the foundation stone
A Latin verse, sealed for eternity
On 20 January 1752, the day of Charles of Bourbon’s birthday, work began on the Royal Palace of Caserta. In the presence of officials, nobles, and onlookers who had travelled from nearby Naples, Luigi Vanvitelli – the architect chosen to build what would become the largest royal residence in the world – performed an act that few are aware of even today: he had a Latin couplet engraved and sealed it into the foundations, alongside the foundation stone, before it was covered over for good.
The verse reads, in its English translation:“May the Royal Palace, the Throne, and the Royal Lineage endure, until the stone once more sees the Sun.” A wish for eternal stability, both for the building and for the dynasty that commissioned it. Vanvitelli wasn’t just building a palace: he was betting that it would last forever, and he wanted to leave it inscribed, hidden from everyone’s eyes except those of the stone itself.
Today, when you step into Hotel Regina and look up at the ceilings inspired by the frescoes of the Royal Palace of Caserta, that same promise of continuity still feels as relevant as ever. The Esposito family has been welcoming guests since 1996 and is now in its second generation: not a Latin verse set in stone in the foundations, but the same idea – that something good, built with care, is meant to stand the test of time.
The Royal Palace of Caserta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, is just a few minutes’ walk from Hotel Regina: even today, you can see the exact spot where the foundation stone was laid, and imagine that almost superstitious gesture by an architect who was convinced, right from the very first day, that he was building something destined to last. That’s not the only secret the Royal Palace holds: there are others, some even more intriguing, and we’ll continue to tell you about them here, one article at a time. Book your stay and discover this and other secrets of the Royal Palace for yourself.
