Vanvitelli, who died on 1 March 1773, was Italy's most prominent architect of the 18th century. Italy is holding a series of events in honour of Luigi Vanvitelli, the Italian architect famed for designing the Royal Palace of Caserta, to mark the 250th anniversary of his death. The main events are taking place at Reggia di Caserta, the vast palace that Vanvitelli designed in the mid-18th century for the Bourbon Kings of Naples.

"Vanvitelli was an absolute giant, a brilliant architect who left tangible signs of his work throughout Italy", culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano said during the launch of the Celebrazioni vanvitelliane programme. Vanvitelli was born on 12 May 1700 in Naples to an Italian mother and a Dutch father, a landscape painter called Caspar van Wittel, who also used the name Vanvitelli.