The UNESCO World Heritage listed Reggia di Caserta started out as a royal boasting contest. King Charles VII of Bourbon wanted a palace to outshine the Palace of Versailles, so in 1752 he initiated the construction of the largest royal residence in the world. King Charles of Bourbon introduced reforms and kick-started the economy with hectic building activity. His most ambitious project was a palace to rival Versailles, and he commissioned the Neapolitan architect Luigi Vanvitelli with the job. Vanvitelli went for bigger is better. He designed a palace larger than any other royal palace in the world. The proportions are stunning. Walking up to the 250m long facade can make anyone feel tiny and insignificant. And there are 1790 windows and 1200 rooms to underline this impression. King Charles never came to spend a night at the palace. He went on to become king of Spain, while Vanvitelli died before the structure was completed, leaving it to his son to finish the project.