The Provincial Campano Museum of Capua, was founded by Canon Gabriele Iannelli in 1870 and inaugurated in 1874. Today it is owned by the Provincial Administration of Caserta.
It was defined by Amedeo Maiuri as "the most significant of the Italic civilization of Campania" and is today housed in the historic Antignano Palace whose foundation dates back to the 9th century, incorporating the vestiges of San Lorenzo ad Crucem, a small church of Longobard age.
The museum preserves archaeological, historical and artistic treasures of inestimable value, mirror of a metropolis that has seen different populations Osci, Etruscans, Samnites, Romans, Lombards, Normans, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese, Spaniards etc. The history of Capua is linked to the names of Spartaco and Annibale, Pandolfo Capodiferro and Pietro della Vigna, Cesare Borgia and Ettore Fieramosca.
The Museo Campano is divided into two departments: Archaeological and Medieval with an important Library attached; it occupies 32 exhibition halls, 20 storage rooms, three large courtyards and a vast garden. The most unique and precious collection that the museum houses is that of the "Mothers", among the rarest that Italian and foreign museums can boast.
In 1845, during an excavation carried out for agricultural work by Mr. Patturelli, in "Petrara", the remains of a large votive altar with architectural friezes, inscriptions in Oscan language and tuff statues were discovered. These almost all reproduced a woman sitting with one or more children in her arms, proving the existence in that place of a temple.
The venerated goddess was probably the "Mater Matuta", an ancient Italic divinity of the dawn and of the birth and the "mothers" represented "ex voto": a propitiatory offer of thanks for the concession of the supreme good of fertility.
Opening time:
Every day from 9 to 12.30, Tuesday and Thursday also in the afternoon from 15 to 17.
Ticket price:
Full 6 euros
reduced 3 euros (14-25 years)
free (under 14)
Provincial Campano Museum of Capua - Antignano Palace
Address: Via Roma, 68, 81043
Phone: 0823 620076
Site:
http://www.museocampano.it/Location inserted by
Claudia Ausilio