Its primary objective was to provide shelter for the disabled, young vagabonds, and orphans. One of the key figures involved in its founding was Ferdinando Francesco Gravina, the Prince of Palagonia. Initially, the institution was situated in factories located outside Porta Termini, which later came to be known as Albergo vecchio. The project gained renewed momentum during the reign of King Charles III of Bourbon, preceding the equally grand Real Albergo dei Poveri in Naples by a few years.