The Carriage Museum, named after Marquis Mario d\u2019Alessandro di Civitanova, is housed in former stables and coach houses located on the ground floor of the Palazzina Rothschild, in the northern section of Villa Pignatelli\u2019s garden.<\/p>\n
Inaugurated in 1975 by Raffaello Causa, then Superintendent of the Galleries of Campania, the museum was born from an idea by Bruno Molajoli, who in 1960 accepted the donation of the prestigious carriage collection that the marquis had passionately assembled throughout his life. Additional donations enriched the collection over the years, including contributions from aristocrats such as Marquis Spennati (1960), Count Dusmet (1962), Count Leonetti di Santojanni (1973), and the more recent Strigari donation in 1979.<\/p>\n
The museum’s layout was curated by Raffaello Causa based on a design by architect Ezio Bruno De Felice, who also donated a Neapolitan-made sedan chair. After being closed for many years, the museum reopened in June 2014. The current exhibition, divided into two sections on either side of the Palazzina Rothschild, features carriages and carts on one side and harnesses on the other.<\/p>\n
Most of the carriages, dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, are displayed in the large hall, originally an open-air riding arena, and arranged by type. The collection includes Phaetons, elegant leisure carriages from French manufacturers like Rothschild, Guiet, and Binder, as well as Neapolitan makers such as Polito and Solano. Breaks, large hunting carriages equipped with ventilated compartments for dogs, were built by Ferrari of Milan and Solano of Naples. The Coup\u00e9s include a model from London’s Morgan workshop, along with the prestigious and refined Otto Molle, named for its unique C-spring suspension, crafted in Turin in 1892 by Logati and Torretta. One of the earliest acquisitions by Marquis d\u2019Alessandro at the age of thirty-seven was a Coup\u00e9 made by the Bottazzi brothers of Naples, a symbol of his youth.<\/p>\n
The collection also features Coaches, robust mail and passenger stagecoaches of English and French origin. A standout piece is the Road Coach, built in Paris by M\u00fchlbacher and purchased for private use by the marquis. It was the centerpiece of one of his last great journeys in 1955, a three-day trip from his Bellavista villa to the Pescolanciano castle in Molise, documented in contemporary chronicles. Outfitted with collapsible bunks, a toilet, and an icebox, the coach was a true traveling home.<\/p>\n
Against a backdrop depicting early 20th-century Riviera di Chiaia, the exhibition also displays Rally Cars, Stanhope-Gigs, Domatrice, and Military carts from renowned Italian workshops, alongside an extensive collection of yokes, shafts, and harnesses.<\/p>\n
The current setup is designed to engage younger visitors, offering insights and curiosities about a now-forgotten world. Costumed grooms stand beside the elegant Clarence carriage and life-sized rearing horses in the stable, welcoming visitors to an immersive experience. The museum also features interactive stations with games, projections, and digital screens providing detailed information on each carriage through progressive display panels along the tour route.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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