Charles III of Bourbon had the park laid out in 1734 to satisfy his passion for hunting. Within the grounds lie the Capuchin Hermitage, built for Ferdinando IV, and the Saint Januarius Lodge, where rare breeds of birds were kept. In 1738, the architect, Ferdinando Sanfelice designed the radiating path system and a part of the park was turned into a French style garden. In the course of the work on Capodimonte Royal Park, the Botanical Gardens of Naples was founded. The royal site was given to the Italian state in 1928 and it became a public park in 1950.
