Palazzo Donnaregina, bounded by Via Luigi Settembrini, Vico Loffredi and Vico Donnaregina, occupies almost the whole of one of the insulae or blocks created by the intersection of the cardo-and-decumano grid layout of the Graeco-Roman street system. Dating from the 19th century, the building is a splendid example of historical stratification and highly characteristic of the ancient district of Naples. Its original core consisted of Palazzo Capano, probably a 17th century structure. In the mid-19th century it was acquired by the Banco di Napoli (today the San Paolo IMI group), which converted it extensively to serve as its pawn shop. Between 1845 and 1872 the building was extended with the addition of two wings, one on Vico Donnaregina and the other on Via Loffredi and with main front on Via Settembrini. At the same time the principal entrance was adorned with a portico and the hall and two staircases were inserted. Following these additions, the south courtyard was reduced to the dimensions of an alley with a covered passageway on Vico Loffredi. This situation remained unchanged until 1943, except for the addition of a volume in reinforced concrete built in the early 20th century, which completely incorporated and concealed the ancient 17th century façade of Palazzo Capano with its portal in piperno stone. In the postwar years the building suffered from misguided alterations which failed to respect the structural and architectural integrity of the complex. They included an elevated atrium, which occupies part of the upper courtyard, new party walls and galleries that distorted the original palazzo typology and the embedding of bulky air conditioning equipment in the masonry. Then the earthquake of 1980 made it necessary to reinforce the structure. In the 1980s the building was leased to the Education Office of Naples and then returned to the Banco di Napoli, which used it as a print store. Following serious damage and structural problems caused by floods in 2001 the building was abandoned. In 2003 San Paolo IMI offered to sell the palazzo to the Campania Region after its restoration and conversion to a contemporary art museum by the Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira, assisted by the Studio DAZ-Dumontet Antonini Zaske Architetti Associati of Naples.