WHERE WE ARE PALAZZO DONN'ANNA
Since May 2022, JUS Museum has expanded with a second exhibition space, dedicated to exhibitions, installations, videos, and multimedia works. The space was first opened with the exhibition "Mario Schifano. Settanta80Novanta", followed by an event in October 2023 featuring Agostino Ferrari (Il Gruppo del Cenobio and Other Adventures).
Palazzo Donn'Anna, located at the start of Via Posillipo, with access from the square of the same name, is a monumental 17th-century building and one of Naples’ most iconic landmarks. The palace was built in the late 1630s at the request of Dona Anna Carafa, the wife of Ramiro Núñez de Guzmán, the Viceroy and Duke of Medina de las Torres.
The design was entrusted to the renowned architect Cosimo Fanzago, who in 1642 created a plan that adhered to the Neapolitan Baroque style. The plan included two main entrances: one from the sea and another from a coastal road that led to the building’s inner courtyard. However, Fanzago was unable to complete the project due to the premature death of Donn'Anna, caused by a popular uprising following the temporary collapse of Spanish rule and the subsequent flight of her husband to Madrid in 1648.
The unfinished building gained an extraordinary charm as an ancient ruin, blending with the remains of Roman villas along the Posillipo coastline and nestled among the caves. The most striking feature is the theater, which opens to the sea and offers a stunning view of the city. While the palace is not a museum, it houses the Ezio De Felice Cultural Foundation and, since 2022, has been home to the multimedia event space of the JUS Museum.
