The State Archive of Caserta, like all peripheral archives in the Kingdom of Naples, was established with the designation of Provincial Archive by a decree on October 22, 1812. However, due to wartime events culminating in the Restoration, it was not immediately implemented: it was only with the law of November 12, 1818, which also approved its regulations, that the establishment of an Archive for each province of the kingdom was confirmed. These “provincial” archives were under the jurisdiction of the Intendancies, and their task was to collect “documents belonging to both old and new jurisdictions, as well as all administrations within the province’s territory”.
The Archive had its first headquarters in Capua, specifically in the prestigious Palazzo Antignano of the Dukes of San Cipriano, and it was only in 1850 that the Archive was relocated to Caserta, even though the city had already become the capital of Terra di Lavoro.
The documents preserved in the State Archive of Caserta span a period from the second half of the fifteenth century to the 1980s. The most significant ones are those belonging to the valuable notarial fonds, which includes approximately 37,000 volumes.
In 20th century documentation there is a notable gap that covers almost the entire Fascist period (from 1927 to 1945) when the province was suppressed and merged with Naples. On the other hand, in the documentation of the ancient province of Terra di Lavoro, you can find records related to a much larger territory than the current jurisdiction, as it included numerous municipalities that are now part of the provinces of Benevento, Avellino, Isernia, Frosinone, Latina, and Naples.
The State Archive of Caserta has an attached library available to scholars, who can only access the texts on-site and, if necessary, obtain partial photocopies (up to one-fifth, due to copyright). Among the collections of official documents, there are: the Official Collection of Laws and Decrees (which starts from the year 1806), some copies of the Intendancy Journal, and then the Prefecture Bulletin, the Bulletin of the Feudal Commission (a printed collection of judgments on disputes related to public land issues following the abolition of feudalism), the Acts of the Provincial Council, and more. There is also a significant number of historical-critical essays, especially on local history, as each State Archive is legally provided with two copies of every publication of studies conducted on archive documents (including thesis works).
The Institute is committed to carrying out an active effort to promote the archival heritage, disseminating its knowledge through cultural initiatives (documentary exhibitions, conferences, didactic cooperations, print publications). It also publishes a quarterly online journal that is open to contributions from scholars and visitors. The Institute encourages the interest of young people and benefits from their collaboration by promoting forms of volunteerism within its organization. It also hosts numerous university students for internships in disciplines related to the preservation of cultural heritage.
