Palazzo Barberini or the National Gallery of Ancient Art is another art museum worth seeing as it contains half of the National Gallery of Art. The other half is contained in Palazzo Corsini on the other side of the Tiber river. What distinguishes this gallery from the many others in Rome, is that the majority of the art work and pieces, have come from the private collections of Rome’s great families. The impressive collection of art, spans works from the 12th century right through to the 18th. Famous paintings on display include, Raphael’s portrait of La Fornarina and those by Carvaggio, Canaletto and Titian. The palazzo itself was designed for Pope Urban VIII, a member of the Barberini family and the crown jewel of the building itself is said to be the magnificent frescoed ceiling by Pietro da Cortona with the visual panegyric of the Allegory of Divine Providence and Barberini Power to glorify the papal Barberini family. There is a beautiful garden known as a ‘giardino segreto’ because it is hidden from view from the outside of the building.
Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday, from 8.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m
Closed: Monday; December 25th, January 1st
Ticket office closes 30 minutes before Gallery’s closing
Museums & Monuments