€13M allocated for restoration of Naples' Maschio Angioino

The Italian Ministry of Culture, led by Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano, has allocated €13 million for the conservative restoration of the Maschio Angioino (Castel Nuovo) in Naples. The funds come from the Ministry's Directorate General for Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape and the Directorate General for Museums. €2.5 million from PNRR funds will remove physical and cognitive barriers; €6 million will restore and consolidate the Triumphal Arch celebrating Alfonso of Aragon's conquest of Naples; €4.5 million from EU cohesion funds will go to general safety, completion of architectural barriers, and enhancement of installations. Sangiuliano urged swift spending of resources, stating that further funds will follow based on a comprehensive project for the castle's protection, conservation, and valorization. The castle, a medieval and Renaissance symbol of Naples, was built by Charles I of Anjou starting in 1279 and completed in 1282. It houses the Civic Museum, the Neapolitan Society of Homeland History, the Naples committee of the Institute for the History of the Italian Risorgimento, and the Valenzi Foundation. The announcement follows other cultural initiatives in Naples, including the new Caruso Museum, the Napoli Contemporanea public installations, guided tours in art metro stations, and a possible museum destination for the Real Albergo dei Poveri.