Palazzo dello Spagnuolo

Naples

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In baroque-rich Naples, even staircases can be an event and the masterpiece gracing the courtyard of this palazzo is one of its most showstopping. Designed by Ferdinando Sanfelice and dating from 1738, its double-ramped, five-arched flights were put to good use in film classics such as Luigi Zampa's Processo alla città (The City Stands Trial) and Vittorio de Sica's Giudizio universale (The Last Judgment).

Believe it or not, horses once used the stairs, providing door-to-door service for lazy cavaliers.

If Sanfelice's sweeping architectural statement leaves you stair-crazy, a quick walk north will lead you to his debut effort inside the Palazzo Sanfelice.

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