Residence

The scenic beauty of the Relais La Rupe site reflects the cultural value preserved within the park surrounding the residence. The park contains a number of gifts from illustrious European figures such as wrought iron gate and bench given by Thomas Aquinas, Prince of Caramanico, and a cedar tree from Lebanon given by Sir Francis Neville Reid, owner of Villa Rufolo. Over the years, the rooms of Relais La Rupe have been home to some of the most significant figures in European cultural identity. At the beginning of the 19th century Relais La Rupe was the residence of Clemente and Enrico Falcon, deputy engineers in charge of building Europe’s first railway line (Naples-Portici). The intense relationships between the Falcons and European scholars, artists and politicians made the Villa, from 1857, a prestigious hospitality venue in European tourist guides. From 1868 onwards, the structure became a real Hotel, until today it is known as Relais La Rupe. Some of the most significant European figures who have lived in these rooms include the engineers Clemente and Enrico Falcon, the entrepreneur Jaccarino, the pioneer Salvador, the artist and patron Sir Francis Neville Reid, Prince Thomas d’Aquino, the architect Don Antonio Annuvola and many others.